"How are we going to find out?" interrogated Larry, very much aroused by the possibility of encountering a pirate.
"Wait until morning, I reckon," answered Jay.
Just then Captain Austin, who had moved off during the conversation, came back. He was carrying a megaphone.
"I am going to hail them," he announced. The Jules Verne had been anchored and her engines shut off. So the captain of the salvage ship advanced to the rail and trained his megaphone in the direction of the other ship.
"Hello! Who are you?" he bellowed, slowly and distinctly.
Eagerly the crowd waited. But no reply. Again the captain shouted and still no response. A third time he shouted, this time in an even more imperative tone. And back came an answer.
"None of your business who we are. Who are you?"
If there had been any suspicion aboard the Jules Verne as to the character of the other ship, that answer settled it. Whoever it was, he was not going to make himself known. He was averse to disclosing his identity and he wanted no interference, as was manifested by his saucy answer.
In reply Captain Austin gave no information to disclose his identity either. Instead he yelled:
"Never mind who we are. You can find out in the morning."