All the upper gear began to collapse.
“Lookout! We’re falling!” shouted Frank. “We can’t float with that hole in our boat’s hull.”
He seized a line as he spoke and flung an end to the crew of the disabled steamer, while he tied the other end to the Jove.
At the same moment Zamora let another of the big bombs fly out a window at the Snake.
The grenade struck the side of the pirates’ vessel, and tearing a big hole there, caused her to fill.
In a few moments it was clear the vessel would be sunk many fathoms under the Gulf.
A cheer escaped Frank’s party despite their own peril, when they saw what the Mexican did.
“At last I am revenged!” hoarsely cried Zamora, as he seized his child and ran on deck.
The doom of the flying machine was sealed, for she fluttered to the water and began to sink.
“Haul in on that line and make it fast, boys!” cried Frank.