Oscar pointed toward the Key.
“If you will look yonder you’ll glimpse him,” he went on to say. “He’s swimming for all he’s worth, and now he’s bobbed under just like a wounded duck.”
“What a silly fool,” laughed Ballyhoo, “to think he could fool us that easy. Why, even if he did manage to land we’d soon hunt him out. But he’s built on that order, you see, and won’t give up till the last horn blows.”
“We know another fellow who often shows just the same stubborn nature,” chuckled Jack, “without mentioning names either.”
Now they had reached the two sailors, and as the boat drew alongside they managed to reach the hands that were held down to assist them. So they were dragged on to the lower deck, dripping wet, and looking as though they hardly knew what they might expect afterwards.
Captain Shooks roared out an order, and at once the submarine started after the man who was swimming toward the island, as best he could with his clothes on. He kept on with gallant overhand strokes, and was making quite fine progress. If left to his own devices there could be little doubt he might have easily reached his goal, the island from which his recent start had been made.
“He acts like he was keeping tabs on us, all right,” said Ballyhoo, “and means to dive to one side as soon as we get a certain distance away.”
“And there he goes right now!” added Jack, covering the spot with his finder, and using his crank energetically to show the sudden disappearance of the fugitive.
Captain Shooks seemed to be in a merry mood again.
“We’ll give him all the chase he wants,” he told the boys. “I was always said to be the most accommodating man alive. With those clothes dragging him down, he’s apt to throw up the sponge pretty soon. It stands to reason he can’t hold out long.”