Ned stopped suddenly.
“What is it? Why don’t you go on?” asked Jerry, turning to his chum.
“Because I think they can hear us. Sound carries very clearly over water, you know. I’ll tell you later, and——”
“There comes another man on deck!” interrupted Bob. The men on top of the submarine turned their gaze away from the airship as someone, evidently their superior officer, appeared among them, coming up by the deck hatch. They saluted him, and pointed toward the Comet.
Instantly the newcomer turned. The boys could see that he was a large man, with a stern and forbidding face, and his hair and beard were snow-white.
He started as he beheld the craft of our heroes, and evidently gave a command, for the others at once left the deck of the submarine. Then, with a last look at the Comet, the aged commander hurried down through the deck hatch. There was a rattle of metal as the cover was clapped into place, and a second later the submarine disappeared beneath the waters of the bay.
[CHAPTER III]
THROUGH THE STORM
“What do you know about that?” cried Ned, looking at his wondering companions.