“What did you see when you crossed the summit?” asked Ben, turning to Jimmie. “Anything particular attract your attention?”
“To tell you the truth,” the boy replied, “I was so frightened, and so busy following your lead, that I saw only the neck-breaking places below and the stars above.”
“Well,” Ben went on, “if you had taken a good look to the north, you would have seen a flying machine hovering over the headland where we saw the first signal.”
“A flying machine?” repeated Carl.
“That’s what I said!” insisted Ben.
“And that means,” Jimmie argued, “that the blond brute who tried to blow up our aeroplanes not far from St. Louis reached the ocean about the time of our arrival.”
“That’s the way it looks to me,” Ben agreed.
“Have you any idea he saw us?” asked Carl.
“I’ve been thinking about that,” Ben answered, “and I can’t quite make up my mind. You see,” he went on, “it’s just this way: If he crossed the range while our machines were reflecting the light of the lower beacon, he undoubtedly saw us. If he crossed after we passed out to sea and turned back to the east, he probably doesn’t know that we’re here.”
“He’ll find out quick enough!” suggested Carl.