At the word prison, the pirate captain stepped forward. "I reckon we'll go to prison if we don't," he bawled, in his awful voice. "We've got to put him out of the road, boys."
"Captain Rumford knows I'm here," said Alec desperately. "He'll be here himself pretty soon with some men you won't want to see. He's on the way now. I've been talking to him by wireless."
Alec did not know that the captain was coming to his rescue. But it was his only chance to save his life. He must carry the bluff through.
"You're a liar," shrieked Captain Hardy.
"I tell the truth. Didn't you find me at my wireless?"
"Did you?" roared the captain, turning to the sailor who had dragged Alec from his cabin.
"He was working at some sort of an outfit. It might have been a wireless for all I know."
"Hell!" roared the skipper.
He leveled his glasses. Afar off a glow of light became visible. The party on the deck of the Shark watched it breathlessly. It came on and on. Suddenly a great beam of light shot through the darkness, and moved slowly across the water. A search-light was sweeping the night.