The efforts of the three men in the little cedar launch to escape were almost pitiful, Oscar thought. Still, they could not attempt a thing to increase their speed, for the motor was doing its best already.
All of them seemed to crouch there, and wait for what was going to happen. Possibly the man at the stern expected that the submersible would try to draw up alongside, meaning thus to capture the motor-boat; and it may have been his intention, by a quick flirt to one side, to avoid the contact. Thus by playing at a game of hide-and-seek, and by clever dodging, they might be able to defy the efforts of the others to capture them.
Straight at the launch pushed the larger boat. The distance had been cut down to one-third by now. Those on the deck of the submarine could see the faces of the three men clearly, and note the looks of anxiety that had settled there as they watched the rapid overhauling of their craft.
“Hey! better keep away, Captain Shooks!” shouted the one in the stern, waving the object he held in his hand, and which the boys could now see was indeed an automatic pistol, a dangerous looking weapon in the bargain.
“Get out of the road, you lubbers!” roared the skipper, as though in anger; “don’t you see we’re in a hurry? What d’ye mean blocking our way like that?”
It must have burst upon the minds of the three men in the small boat what fate was in store for them, and that the submarine captain fully intended to run them down. The two in the middle of the boat acted as though ready to jump overboard at the last moment, rather than remain to take the chances of being hit by the bow of the rushing submersible.
That fellow at the motor was made of different stuff, however. He immediately raised his arm as though bent on carrying out his loud threat.
“Drop down, lads!” cried Captain Shooks, who thus showed that he could be discreet as well as reckless.
All of them hastened to obey, that is, all but Jack, who, despite the danger, continued grinding away as though bent on accepting all sorts of risks rather than spoil so good a picture by “stops.”
Then came the sharp report of the automatic. Jack involuntarily ducked, as though willing enough to make as small a target as possible for the excited marksman. It seemed as though the man either did not mean to do any deadly damage for fear of the immediate consequences, or else had his aim badly shaken by the jarring of the wildly running little motor.