“Pardon, sir; I——.”
“Yes, yes, I know,” burst out Lieutenant Parry, in an excited voice, which was excellently assumed; “never mind that now. Get up! Quick! The submarine is in peril!”
“In peril! Santa Maria!”
The fellow sprang from his bunk. It could then be seen that he was fully dressed. His companion, also, must have been feigning sleep, for he, too, was up in an instant. He, likewise, was fully dressed.
“Oh, sir, we are in danger?” he gasped.
“The greatest. Come quick!”
Lieutenant Parry seized both the men in an iron grasp and rushed them out of the cabin. He was afraid if they lingered they might stop to pick up the box.
“This way! This way! Quick! Pray heaven we are not too late!” he cried, as he hustled them through the engine-room door, closing it behind them with a loud clang.
“Now!” exclaimed Ned, “we’ve not a minute to lose.”
Followed by Herc, he darted forward like a hound that has just picked up a hot scent.