“Jimmie,” gravely stated Ned, “I wish we could all get some of that sunny disposition of yours. We need a lot of your optimism.”
“Thanks!” was Jimmie’s reply, delivered with an excess of politeness. “Now, I’m at the wheel, Captain. Where to, sir?”
“Let’s rise first and see what the other is doing!”
“Ding, ding!” cried Jimmie. “Touch up the mule, Harry!”
Harry’s manipulations of the levers brought the false “U-13” rapidly to a level with the Wanderer’s deck. Through the port lights the boys could see the other submarine across the sunken ship. It seemed to be gradually descending toward the bottom.
“Let’s follow them and see where they go!” proposed Jack.
“At your service, sir!” cried Jimmie, saluting. “We’ll proceed to proceed!” he added with a grin. “Here goes after the real ‘U-13’!”
“Go ahead slowly, Harry,” cautioned Ned. “We don’t want to overtake them yet. We’re in the shadow here, so they probably won’t see us if we hang back a little. Just give the wheel a little kick.”
Slowly the vessel carried the boys over the sunken Australian. They were passing between the main and mizzen rigging at a level slightly lower than that of the main yard.
“What’s that just ahead of us?” queried Jack, at the porthole.