“Just this. The smugglers’ cove is either above or below San Diego, said Inspector Burton, and not far from it in either direction. We shall reach San Diego in forty-eight hours more, at this rate, or about this time day after tomorrow. If the cove is this side of it, probably we would make it tomorrow night. If it is below San Diego, probably we would reach there the following night.
“Now, hold your horses, Frank,” Jack interrupted, good-naturedly, as he saw Frank growing impatient. “I’m coming to the point.
“What I have in mind is simply this: With ‘Black George’ hors de combat, and Matt Murphy lukewarm, we may have a chance to seize the ship before we reach the smugglers’ headquarters. If we don’t do it before landing, our chance to gain our freedom later will be slim. And the way I figured it out, we can’t reach the smugglers’ cove until tomorrow night at the earliest, which gives us the best
part of two days in which to see what we can do.”
Warm approval was voiced by Frank and Bob. Mr. Temple, however, spoke of the almost insuperable handicaps—their lack of any sort of weapons, their ignorance as to the numbers or composition of the crew, or even as to the physical characteristics of the ship. He pointed out they had been forbidden to go above deck and, consequently, would know nothing beforehand of their field of battle.
“I agree with you, boys, of course,” he added, in conclusion, “that, if we can seize the ship, we must do so. But it is one thing to conceive an idea, and a far more difficult matter to work out the details. However, let us go into my cabin and leave the door open into the salon. There we can discuss the situation from every angle with less fear of discovery.”
“There is one thing I haven’t mentioned yet,” said Jack. “I’ve been so excited that it slipped my mind this morning. That is, I have a radio receiving set that may come in handy.”
“Yes. That ring set which Inventor Bender showed us. I persuaded him to sell it to me, you remember?”
The boys nodded.
“Well, when we went out sightseeing last night,