Desperately Bob clung to his last shred of hope and watched the coming day reflect itself in a gray haze over the top of the periscope table.
Slowly the trees along the river stood out with constantly increasing distinctness, and the bosom of the rolling river took form beneath his eyes. Upstream he could see nothing, but—what was that he heard?
Scarcely breathing, he gripped at the table top and listened intently. A motor boat was coming downstream—his ears had heard it before the periscope had been able to pick it up.
“At your stations, everybody!” he shouted. “Dick! up here in the periscope room with you! The motor launch is coming!”
CHAPTER XIV.
A GREAT PLAY.
Instantly all was commotion on board the submarine, but it was orderly commotion. Clackett jumped to his ballast tanks, Gaines “turned his engine over,” and Carl and Dick hastened into the periscope room.
“Aft with you, Carl,” called Bob, “and stand by to take in the stern anchor. Clackett, forward, and be ready for the bow anchor. Dick,” Bob’s eyes were again on the periscope table, “bring all the loose coils of rope you can find and lay them on the locker.”
Dick had no notion what the ropes were wanted for, but he went for them, and soon had four coils laid along the top of the locker. After that, he passed to the steering wheel, standing shoulder to shoulder beside Bob in front of the periscope table.
There was an atmosphere of expectancy all through the submarine. Every nerve was strained, and each person stood at his post almost with bated breath. Ysabel, without speaking, came into the periscope room and watched Bob with steady eyes.