Wade was just behind Frank.
“Eh, what’s that?” he asked. “You don’t mean to say that that accursed schooner has overtaken us again?”
“Dat am so, sah,” replied Pomp.
“That is very bad.”
Frank and Wade went to the rail with their glasses. It did not require much of a scrutiny to determine that Pomp was right.
It was the Meta, and she had evidently sighted the Diver. She was coming on with all sails spread.
“By Jove!” exclaimed Frank, “she will be down onto us in a jiffy. We must get out of here right away.”
“For a fact!” agreed Wade. “What shall we do, Frank? We cannot sink the boat, can we?”
“No,” replied the young inventor. “Our only hope is to run away from her until we can get our tank machinery repaired.”
“But is not the other machinery out of order, too? Have you tried the motor-lever yet?”