Would the Manhattan never answer?
The spark crackled on, but no answering flash came through the air.
"The apparatus is too weak," groaned Ned, despairing at the long silence. But at the same instant his heart gave a great pound. His pulses began to leap. Through space had come an answering message.
Ned lost no time. His fingers began to pound the sending key once more.
"Danger. At Blackhaven——"
Bang!
The interruption was sharp and startling. Splinters flew from under Ned's fingers as the bullet smashed the sending key to smithereens. He turned swiftly. In the doorway stood Merritt, revolver in hand. It was the recreant seaman who had fired the shot and interrupted Ned's warning message.
In the doorway stood Merritt, revolver in hand.
"So you thought you'd tip us off to the Manhattan, eh?" he snarled. "Well, you never made a bigger mistake in your life. I know something of wireless telegraphy myself."