By the time they had untangled themselves Davis had disappeared aft.
"After him!" shouted Frank, and dashed down the passage. Lord Hastings followed closely.
Davis made straight for the engine room, why, he could not have told. The man was greatly excited and hardly knew what he was doing. As he crossed the threshold, he collided with Simpson, the engineer, and both rolled to the floor.
"I say! What's the matter here?" demanded Simpson angrily. "What are you jumping on me for?"
"I didn't mean to do it," replied Davis, sitting up; and then getting to his feet.
"And what are you doing in here, anyhow?" demanded the engineer. "No one is allowed in this room."
"I didn't know where I was going," responded Davis.
He leaped suddenly forward, and seizing a heavy iron poker, brought it down heavily on Simpson's head. The man crumpled up on the floor. Quickly Davis whirled about and locked the door, even as Lord Hastings and Jack threw their weight against it. Then Davis laughed aloud.
"Stand back there!" he cried. "Stand back, or I'll smash this machinery so none of us will ever reach the surface."
Frank was for smashing in the door regardless of this threat, but Lord Hastings seized his arm.