"It won't take 'em long to get out of our hearing, if our tender doesn't get in," predicted Halstead.
"Confound Bickson! Where is he? What's he doing?" demanded the "Panther's" owner, impatiently.
Barely thirty seconds later, however, the "Panther's" power tender shot in alongside. The falls and tackle were lowered swiftly. The instant when the hoisting began Halstead called sharply:
"Mr. Davis, start us forward on the jump. Don't let those tricksters slip us in that fashion."
Second Officer Davis gave the order for increased speed. Then, before it could be carried out, he cried, excitedly:
"What has become of the 'Victor,' sir? Can you hear her machinery, now?"
Tom Halstead listened intently, growing paler. Barely forty-five seconds before he had had the enemy within sound. Now, not a single trace of noise came to him over the waters.
"By Jove! they've slipped us," he groaned, uneasily.
"That's what," confessed Dick, in a hushed, scared voice.