Hank and Bill did not venture a reply. He was likely to stop right there. But he did not. He pointed out into the darkness of the east.
“Ahead,” he said crisply, “sails the lowest, meanest, cruelest, sneakin’ scoundrel that goes unhung! And he is stalkin’ the finest, grandest, truest gentleman that ever served his country and his God wit’ a whole heart. And here are we. And Mr. Hamilton Ridgeway,—for the first gentleman is him—thinks that it’s meself trudgin’ along behind. And the saints alone know what the demon in the middle machine thinks of us. Does the wireless work?”
“Perfectly!” answered Hank.
O’Brien frowned. “See that it is tuned up ready for instant use,” he ordered. “I don’t like to use it unless I am invited, but I’ve a hunch the man just ahead may want to ask me a question or two. If he calls, don’t say a wurrud ’til I can get to the receiver. And keep your guns limber and your hearts willin’, because it’s the man ahead put me in a most embarrassin’ position wit’ a gag in me teeth and me arms and legs bound and a dose of poison yearnin’ at me on the table. And that no later than lasht night. And bein’ where he is, I know he means death and destruction to the finest man and the most promisin’ boy in this wurruld. And he’s after some written words meant for a dinky little locality across Europe which is sittin’ up nights waitin’ for ’em; likewise there’s a quane next door like, who can’t go to her son’s comin’-out party without her crown jewels, the same which Mr. Ridgeway is takin’ her, her husband havin’ placed ’em in our Treasury durin’ the war and it takin’ him five years to get things cleaned up enough to get ’em home again.
“And that man ahead has his plans all laid. Bein’ he thought I was well out of the way, he was careless with his instructions. He has laid the plan for his attack off the cliffs ahead, and I am afraid to have a fuss so far out as this because we are too far out of the track of steamers, should wan of us go down. Likewise, Mr. Ridgeway undoubtedly thinks I am ahead there. I wonder if we could reach him by wireless?”
“Wouldn’t that give the alarm to the man ahead?” asked Hank anxiously.
“It might,” said O’Brien. “I don’t see what to do but keep watchin’ and wait for day. I know Mr. Ridgeway has a balloon that can make double the speed of either of these boats, and sure he don’t want to speak to me. So why should he bother to get in range with that felly? Of course he has guns, but how big I dunno. All we can do is watch.”
Hank and Bill sat silent, thinking rapidly. They were having thrills enough now. As O’Brien went forward to speak to Ollie, Hank dug a sharp elbow into his mate.
“Gosh, doesn’t some people have all the luck?” he wailed. “Gagged and bound and ’most poisoned! All in one night! Just like a movie!”
Bill stared at him disgustedly. “Yes, you nut,” he retorted, “and suppose he hadn’t uv escaped? How would you like that?”