Now his faculties rushed back, but he did not speak. Instead, he grounded the aerials by throwing the switch, and leaped to his feet with such impulsiveness that the stool on which he had been sitting went careering to the floor.
“Come on, Tom,” he cried, darting for the door.
As he ran he stuffed the message into the pocket of his linen jacket. Tom shot out of the shack after him.
“You’d better lock——” he began.
“Send Jupe to do it,” was the backward flung rejoinder, as Jack sprinted for the bungalow, “we’ve got to get grub on board and fill the water tanks within fifteen minutes.”
“And then what?”
“To sea—at top speed! The best the Vagrant can do will be none too quick! They need us out there,” he flung his arm seaward in an embracing gesture, “need us mighty bad, and it’s up to us to make a record run to the rescue.”
CHAPTER II—THE MYSTERIOUS X. Y. Z.
“They said nothing as to what was the matter?”
Tom propounded the question ten minutes later as the two lads busied themselves in the after cabin of the Vagrant, stowing provisions hastily. “No, not a word. If only I could have got in communication with them again I might——”