A moment later Lieutenant Taylor, whose thoughts had been so wrapped up in the black deed he was about to commit that he had not noticed the approach of the launch, gave the command:
“Ready!”
Unflinchingly Alice Beulow, with a slight smile on her lips, faced the firing squad.
The hands of each man trembled, and the face of each was pale.
Then, suddenly, before Lieutenant Taylor could give the next command, Frank Chadwick bounded over the side of the Alto, nor did he hesitate for a moment. In spite of all attempts to stop him, he rushed toward the spot where Alice Beulow was facing death.
Captain Johnson barred the lad’s progress. But Frank was not to be stopped. He dashed ahead with such speed that the captain was thrust violently aside.
Suddenly the commander clapped his hand to where a moment before his sword had hung by his side. But, even as he did so, the blade leaped, as though alive, from his scabbard, and an instant later Frank brandished it aloft!
Then the lad sprang upon Lieutenant Taylor, who even at that second had raised his hand to give his second command to the firing squad:
“Take aim!”
But before he could give the command to fire, Frank was upon him. Startled, the lieutenant leaped back, forgetting the girl, the firing squad, everything but that his nemesis had run him to earth.