“She’s making in toward North Sea Harbor,” muttered Toby. “Now what’s the idea, I wonder. She can’t belong there. Maybe she’s just bluffing, though. No, she isn’t! She’s headed right in! And [we’ve gained like anything, Arn!] She sees that, I guess, and is going to quit—or make a fight for it! Call all hands, Arn, to man the guns!”
[“We’ve gained like anything, Arn!”]
Robins Island was off the Frolic’s port bow now, but instead of holding her course in the middle of the channel, the other launch had edged in toward the shore and was presently running straight along it, as though bent on dodging through the narrow harbor entrance a mile or so beyond the point. There was no longer any doubt about it: the Frolic was gaining on the enemy hand over hand. Her engine was working like a charm, with never a skip, and for the past forty-five minutes had churned the water at better than a twelve-mile clip. Arnold, the megaphone in one hand and the oil can in the other, watched breathlessly. There were no shadows here to hide the launch ahead and the two boys exulted as the distance lessened between pursued and pursuer.
“Now, if she’s making for the harbor she’ll have to turn,” muttered Toby, straining his gaze. “There she goes!” There was a doubtful moment and then: “She’s headed out again. She missed it, Arn! See, there it is over there. I’ll bet those fellows don’t know this shore at all. Now, she’ll have to keep on, for there’s nothing beyond except a cove until we get to Noyack! And we’ll get them inside of ten minutes! Do you know what I think? I think they’re short of gas, Arn. You know they started out as if they meant to cut straight across to Johnstown or Franklinville or some place over there. That would have been only two or three miles. Instead we’ve chased them a good ten miles, and they’re getting short of gas. There! She’s hitting it up a bit again! Go it, Sal! But we’ll get you long before you reach Jessup’s Neck. Only—only when we do what are we going to do with you?”
“I wish my father was here,” murmured Arnold, “with his revolver!”
“So do I! You don’t think we’d better turn around and beat it back before they get to popping at us, do you?”
Arnold hesitated. It seemed very much as though he wanted to say “Yes,” but he didn’t. Instead, he took a good deep breath and answered: “I’d rather see it through, Toby, if you aren’t scared.”
Toby laughed shortly. “Oh, I’m scared, all right, but I’m with you, Arn. It would be a shame to come all this way and use up all that gas and then turn tail. No, we’ll try that bluff of yours, Arn. If we have to run we can do it. She’s slowing down again, isn’t she?”
She was, very perceptibly. More than that, she had turned her nose straight for the shore!