"What's the matter with those fellows forward?" he demanded. "Can't they shoot? Didn't they ever see a gun before?"
There was no reply from the other officers and gradually Jack cooled down.
"Pretty tough," said Frank then. "We should have had that fellow."
Jack nodded gloomily.
"So we should," he cried, "but we didn't get him. Well, better luck next time. All the same, I'm inclined to believe that Ensign Carruthers needs a talking to. He didn't take the time to calculate the range correctly."
"I'll speak to him," said Frank.
"Do," said Jack. "In the meantime we'll run close to the Ventura and I'll go aboard for a word with her captain."
The Ventura's wireless was working again now, and Jack himself took the key.
"Lay to," he ordered. "I'm coming aboard you."
"Very well," was the reply.