Captain Brookes frowned. For the space of a minute he remained gazing in the direction of the inhospitable shore, then, wheeling swiftly, looked Gerald squarely in the face.
"Mr. Tregarthen, I don't know why it is, but you are the only man on the ship that dares to thwart my purpose. Nevertheless, I like you for your outspoken manner. Now carry on, and let me know what is your alternative."
"We have not as yet given the ZZ-rays a practical test," remarked Gerald, tentatively.
"Good gracious! The ZZ-rays!" exclaimed the captain, with astonishment. "The only argument in favour of the ZZ-rays in preference to a bombardment is that their action is instantaneous and consequently painless. Is that your idea of mercy?"
"No, sir. In any case we must land a party to search for our missing comrades. No doubt we can also 'round up' the savages, since they won't be in a state to offer much resistance."
"And then?"
"We can land a hundredweight of explosive, place it on yonder rock, which I believe is plainly visible from the village, and take the Olive Branch down to the mouth of Desolation Inlet, whence she can explode the stuff by means of the ZZ-rays."
"In the meantime what will the natives be doing?"
"We can leave a party to keep them under guard. I will undertake that task if required, sir."
"You have more faith in the infallibility of my invention than I have," observed Captain Brookes, with a grim smile. "What if I miscalculated the distance and wiped you out instead?"