It was evidently the pirate’s intention to cut off their retreat to the land by intercepting and killing them mercilessly.
With this purpose in view they were arming themselves.
“Unless we interfere,” said Frank, restlessly, “there is soon going to be some bloody work done here.”
“Fo’ suah,” assented Pomp. “Dem yer yaller coons use dar razzahs on de marines, I ’specs.”
“Can’t we interfere?” eagerly asked Zamora.
“Faith, we will that!” Barney asserted.
The young inventor saw the frigate go down, and all her ill-fated crew were left afloat in the quarter-boats.
“They are absolutely at the mercy of the demons of the Gulf,” Frank muttered. “Come on, boys!”
They quickly boarded the electric airship, and the young inventor, anxious to lend a hand to his endangered fellow-beings, turned on the current.
As the screws turned the airship rolled ahead.