“No wonder we heard ’em,” remarked Tom when the boat was secured. “That creek must turn around a corner and we didn’t notice it. Say, what are we going to do now? We can’t wait here all night and we don’t know where to go and we can’t call our folks without those fellows on this sub hearing us.”
“And if we could call your father or Mr. Rawlins we couldn’t tell them where this submarine is because we don’t know ourselves,” replied Frank.
“It’s awful funny we should find it by getting lost after they’ve been hunting for it night after night,” said Tom, “and now what good does it do? I don’t see but what we’ll have to go back the way we came and trust to luck.”
“Huh!” snorted Frank, “and get lost worse than ever. If this sub came in here there must be deep water leading to sea and if we could sneak out we’d be sure to find the entrance to the bay and then we could call our people or hunt along the shore till we found that beach with the coconut grove.”
“Yes, and a swell chance we have of sneaking out!” Tom reminded him. “Just as soon as we went out of here they’d spot us, sure.”
“Well we’ll have to wait until dark, that’s all,” said Frank resignedly. “Of course they’ll worry, but like as not they’ll call for us and we may hear ’em. Then if these chaps hear, it wont be our fault. I know your father said not to hesitate to use radio if we had to, but he didn’t think we’d be alongside this submarine when we needed to. It’s not going to hurt us to wait here a while and we may see something.”
Tom’s sharp “Hisst!” caused Frank to wheel about. A small boat was now beside the submarine and several men were climbing into it. Presently they pushed off, the men took to the oars and to the boys’ horror and amazement the boat headed directly toward their hiding place.
“Gosh now it’s all up!” whispered Tom in terrified tones, “if they spot us or our boat it’ll be good night for us!”
Breathlessly the boys crouched in their craft, shaking with fright, while nearer and nearer came the boat from the submarine. Then, when the two trembling boys felt that their hour had come, that in another instant they must be seen, the other boat swung to one side and disappeared in a narrow channel among the mangroves not fifty feet from where the boys were concealed. In a few moments the sound of the oars and the voices of the men grew faint in the distance and the boys raised themselves and with relieved, fast-beating hearts exchanged glances.
“Did you see them?” exclaimed Tom. “My, weren’t they a tough looking lot!”