“Gracious!” cried Jack, “is that so? Where can we see you?”
“You wait there and I’ll be up,” was the reply; “if my information is right those rascals are about to slip through your fingers again.”
“By ginger! not this time, if it’s humanly possible to catch them,” declared Jack earnestly, as he hung up the receiver. “We’ll follow them no matter where the chase may take us.”
And where it was to take them neither of the boys dreamed at that moment, but they were on the eve of one of the most adventurous incidents of their lives.
CHAPTER XXIII—THE START OF A LONG CHASE
Captain Andrews burst into the hotel a short time later like a bombshell, scattering bell-boys and guests in his mad rush to reach Jack and Tom, who were awaiting him in a corner of the lobby.
“If you want to catch those fellows you must come with me right away,” he exclaimed pantingly; “they’ve gone to sea in Cap. Flinders’ motor boat. They started half an hour ago; but if we hurry I’ll go after them in mine, and there’s a chance we can overhaul them, or at least keep track of them.”
Of course the reference to Captain Flinders’ motor boat was so much Greek to Jack, but the captain would not explain any more just then.
“Don’t waste time talking,” he exclaimed; “I’ll tell you about it as we go along. Shiver my topsails, but they’ll get away yet if we don’t hurry.”
It was evident enough, from all this, that there was not a minute to be lost, and Jack and Tom, who had their hats on, followed the energetic seaman out of the hotel without an instant’s hesitation. Outside was a row of taxicabs. Jack engaged one of these, and they started off for the “T” wharf at a rattling speed.