“Something’s gone wrong with the engine.”
“Here, let me have a look,” called Jerry, and he went to the cockpit.
There was a lantern aboard, and, by the light of it, Jerry saw that one of the battery wires, leading to a spark plug, had become loosened, breaking the circuit, and preventing the gas from exploding in the cylinders. He soon had it fixed and the engine started, sending the boat toward shore.
By this time the moon was out again, flooding the scene with radiance. Eagerly the boys and girls looked toward the spot on the cliffs, where the odd scene had taken place. To their surprise they saw Mr. Blowitz standing there, and they were close enough to note that he was smoking a cigar.
“Well!” exclaimed Nellie, for that was all she could say, so great was her astonishment.
“Guess nothing happened after all,” added Ned. “We have had our fright for nothing.”
“There certainly was another man there,” declared Jerry, “and he’s gone now.”
“And I’m certain I heard a cry for help,” said Bob.
“We all heard a cry,” admitted Jerry, “but it might have been a call for a boatman, or something like that. However—”
He did not finish what he was going to say for, at that instant, Blowitz heard the noise of the approaching motor boat. The muffler. was not working just right, and the usually noiseless engine of the Ripper was making quite a fuss. Blowitz was in a listening attitude, standing in bold relief in the moonlight, and, having, apparently, satisfied himself as to where the boat was, he started to descend the cliff.