“We’ve got Pitou,” said Bob, “and he’s of more importance. There——”
“Hello, down there!” came from Clackett.
“What now, Clackett?” sang out Bob.
“That steamer’s a warship—I’ve just been able to make her out. By jing, I believe she’s the Seminole!”
The announcement aroused a commotion.
“Make way for us to get out on deck, Clackett!” called Bob. “If she’s the Seminole, I want to speak to her.”
Bob, Speake, Clackett, and Ysabel clustered on the forward deck near the conning tower.
“Get the code book and the signal flags and the binoculars,” cried Bob. “She’s got signals going up at her gaff and wants to talk to us.”
Speake went below for the required articles, and, after fifteen minutes of study and work, Bob and his friends learned, to their surprise, that the Seminole had put in at Belize the day before and had been sent by the American consul to find the submarine. There was so much to be said that signal flags could not convey that the cruiser hove to and had the Grampus come around under her lee.
In this manner the submarine was able to come quite close—so close that Bob and Dick could see their tow-haired chum on the cruiser’s bridge. Carl picked up a megaphone and hurled greetings at his friends.