"Descend--why?" asked Captain Restronguet.
The skipper of the "Pride of Rhodesia" pointed towards the broad Zambesi. Abreast of the junction of the stream in which the "Vorwartz" had taken a vain refuge were three river gunboats.
The huge aerial propellers began to revolve and the "Pride of Rhodesia" gathered way. In view of her skipper's remark Hythe could not at once understand this manoeuvre; but Captain Jones was not a man to waste gas when he could bring his airship to earth by other means.
Circling in ever-descending spirals the huge craft approached within fifty feet of the place where a few minutes before she had been anchored. The bow and stern ropes were thrown down, and assisted by the "Aphrodite's" men those of the crew of the airship who had been left behind dragged the "Pride of Rhodesia" to earth.
Almost as soon as Captain Restronguet, Hythe, and the skipper of the airship had alighted, a motor launch in which were several white-uniformed officers came pelting up stream and brought up alongside the captured submarine.
"We are a trifle too late, I see," exclaimed the senior officer from the gunboats, as salutes were gravely exchanged.
"Third in the field," commented Captain Jones, pointing to his airship. "This is the lucky individual--Captain Restronguet."
"Thought we'd been done in the eye when we saw his submarine out in the stream," said the commodore of the flotilla. "Well, Captain Restronguet, we congratulate you upon having rid the world of a pest."
"The business is not finished yet," said the "Aphrodite's" captain. "We were on the point of following up the rascals."
"Some have escaped, then?"