“Try to see if they’ve located us with their searchlight,” suggested Mackinder. “Maybe they are getting our range with that gun!”
“Never mind about that searchlight,” snapped Jimmie. “I want to find out what’s ahead, not what’s behind us. We’ll run this boat!”
“I simply wanted to know,” objected Mackinder somewhat ruffled at the lad’s peremptory manner. “No objection, is there?”
“All the objection in the world!” declared Jimmie. “You’re quite welcome aboard as a passenger, but we’ll navigate the vessel, please!”
Scarcely knowing whether to be amused or defiant at this attitude Mackinder chose the wiser course and refrained from further comment.
Although the boys could not be sure that the persons on the island were making efforts to hinder their escape they felt the better course was to remain beneath the surface until well out of the harbor.
Directly Jimmie called the attention of his comrades to an object in the water at no great distance ahead. The rays of the searchlight with which the submarine was provided indistinctly revealed a huge bulk slightly above the level at which they were traveling.
“What is that, a ship?” asked Harry wonderingly.
“I’ll bet a cookie that’s a mine!” declared Jimmie positively. “I’m going to give it a little more leeway, anyhow. It pays to be safe!”
Ned was working the periscope in an effort to locate the buoys as directed by Jimmie. Occasionally he turned the glass toward the group of buildings they had just left.