A fresh dispute had evidently arisen between the two men, for they were speaking angrily once more, and while they were so engaged the boy gently closed the half-open door. Then with a swift movement he reached across for the other door and closed it with a bang, snapping the catch across firmly.
Instantly an outcry arose in the cabin.
“Who’s there?” shouted Martin.
“Open that door!” yelled Hegan.
For answer Jack took a key from his pocket, slipped the padlock through the catch, and locked it.
“Come on, Rod,” he called, springing back on deck from the cockpit and taking the dinghy’s painter aboard. “We’ve got them!”
“What? How did you do it?” Rod asked, puzzled. His nerves had been sorely tried by an anxious wait of fully five minutes during which time anything might have happened at any moment.
“I shut the door on them, that’s all. They were asleep at the switch!”
“Hello, there! Open this door!” the two men were now shouting together.
“You stop where you are, and be quiet,” Jack shouted back.