“Wha’ dey put him asho’ in dis yere suit fo’?” asked Pomp.
“Probably to dupe us so they could get away,” said the detective.
“Then,” added Barney, “whoile we’ve been a-waishtin’ their hull noight here, thim imps av Satan have been sailin’ away from us as fasht as they could put, be heavens!”
“No doubt it was a stratagem upon their part to divert us from them,” said Frank. “But what pretext they gave the sailor for sending him ashore this way puzzles me.”
“Warn’t he berry friendly ter us?” asked Pomp.
“Grateful for saving his life. Maybe he showed the captain how well disposed he was toward us. That would have incited them against him.”
“Arrah, then it’s another chase we’ll be afther havin’ ter catch thim,” regretfully said Barney. “Shure, I thought as the murdherer av little Joe Crosby had got his deserts. An’ now, begob, he’s livin’ yet ter fool ther divil.”
“We must not waste time now,” said Frank. “Every minute is precious. While we are talking here the Rover is widening the breach between us. Let us go back to the engine of the clouds and——”
“Whirr-rr-rrr!”
A familiar, buzzing sound interrupted him.