Arnold was eagerly questioning the captain as Elaine and I approached. "Dropped into the water—risked almost certain death," he muttered, half turning and seeing us.
"I want to congratulate you on your nerve for going in there," began
Elaine, advancing toward the professor.
Apparently he neither heard nor saw us, for he turned as soon as he had finished with Price and went into the cave as though he were too busy to pay any attention to anything else.
Elaine looked up at me, in blank astonishment.
"What an impolite man," she murmured, gazing at the figure all stooped over as it disappeared in the darkness of the tunnel.
CHAPTER XII
THE DEATH CLOUD
Off a lonely wharf in a deserted part of the coast some miles from the promontory which afforded Del Mar his secret submarine harbor, a ship was riding at anchor.
On the wharf a group of men, husky lascars, were straining their eyes at the mysterious craft.
"Here she comes," muttered one of the men, "at last."