They had barely gained the deck when an uproar was heard on board the schooner.
“They have found him!” exclaimed Wade. “What shall we do, Frank?”
“Put on all speed, Barney!” cried Frank. “Steer due west!”
“All roight, sor.”
The submarine boat shot forward. But just at that moment a jet of flame shot from the side of the schooner, and a heavy boom smote upon the air.
A cannonball just grazed the stern of the Sea Diver.
“Egad!” cried Wade. “That won’t do, Frank! If that had struck us fair we would have gone to the bottom to stay!”
“Right!” cried Frank. “Douse the lights, Barney. Veer to the south.”
All was done in the twinkling of an eye. The Diver was in instant darkness and was running away like a flash on another course.
The piratical schooner kept up a random fire in an opposite direction. But the game had slipped them.