CHAPTER XIII
A THREATENING SITUATION
“Who’s there, Jimmie?” asked Ned, pressing forward.
“Nobody now,” answered the other. “I thought I saw our friend Mackinder looking down the hatchway, but possibly I was mistaken. At any rate he’s gone now and we’d better hurry on for dinner.”
“Mackinder’s a prisoner here,” stated Ned, positively.
“Maybe he broke loose,” suggested Harry.
“All right, I’m going up to the deck and look about,” said Ned.
As the boys reached the narrow confines of the small deck at the top of the conning tower they saw a figure hastening along the foot planks that led from vessel to vessel. The fleeing person was now almost at the building on the wharf. In a moment the shelter of this structure had been gained. The figure dodged out of sight.