“Here safe and sound, Ned,” shouted the well-known voice of the red-headed lad; “thank goodness, we’ve found you.”
“And Mr. Lockyer, too,” shouted back Ned, in response to the glad shouts that came in a perfect torrent from the other boat.
“What! How on earth——?”
“Never mind that now. Never mind anything now but getting that boat in here as close as you can. They’ll be coming back before long.”
Not stopping to ask who “they” might be, the boat was run close in to the shore till not more than a foot of water was between her keel and the bottom. Then Ned, picking up the still half-dazed inventor, waded out to her and, presently, they were safe aboard.
“Say!” exclaimed the reporter, as Ned swiftly told his story, “let’s stay here and give those rascals a fight.”
“I’d like to,” said Herc wistfully; “maybe we could arrest them and land them where they belong, which is in jail.”
But Ned vetoed the proposition. For one thing, it was important to get Mr. Lockyer back to where he could have medical attention, for whatever kind of stuff the rascals had given him, it seemed to have completely overcome him. He sat in the bottom of the launch with a vacant look on his face. The little craft was, accordingly, put about and headed for Grayport. As they chugged along Herc told how they came to happen along at such an opportune moment for Ned.
After they had heard the auto speed off, they had given chase for a while, but had finally desisted when they saw it was useless. Then they began to look about for Ned, and discovered that he was gone. For a time they were at a despairing standstill, but, after a lot of discussion, it was agreed to head up the Inlet toward the islands, as Reporter Hargraves recollected having heard the ruffians, who had abducted Lockyer, mention the islands in their talk in the summer house. They had been cruising around for some time among the deserted summer colony of bungalows and islands, and were about ready to give up the search when they heard Ned’s hail.