At length the gauges marked seven fathoms, and the dial finger slowly rose to eight, then stopped suddenly. Jerry had reached the bottom.
"All right, Holly," said Mart quickly. "Come along an' take the other wheel."
Bob dropped the lines in a heap and sprang to the pumps. For a moment the two boys worked in silence, then Mart chuckled.
"Say, I guess we've got those pirates scared stiff, eh?"
"Looks like it," returned Bob, his eyes on the water. "That fellow Birch—great Scott! Look there!"
The sudden fear in his voice struck Mart like a blow. Looking at the water, he saw a little line of bubbles rising, and the terrible significance of it sent horror into his heart.
"The hose is cut!" he cried, and leaped to the lines.
But though he tugged, there came no answering pull. White-faced and stricken by the swift terror of what had happened, he began yanking at the line and hose together, and as they came swiftly up he felt a thrill of cold dread that seized on his heart and held him dumb.
With feverish haste he hauled in both lines, shrinking at thought of what had befallen the old quartermaster. Then, without warning, the lines shot up and curled about the landing—cut short and clean.
"The shark—" began Bob, white-lipped and paralyzed with horror.