“After a lot of persuasion we agreed to do this. Then we waited, with as much patience as we could muster, for the night to fall. Food and drink was brought us at dusk, and we ate all we could, knowing that we might have strenuous work before us. After dark MacDuffy fell to work on the bolts. It took scarcely an hour to loosen them. This much accomplished, we waited till all grew quiet about the Tarantula, which was not before midnight.
“Whispering a good-by to Professor Chadwick and Mr. Jesson, we dropped through the opening, after MacDuffy had removed the plate which left a hole some four feet square. The rope by which the dugouts trailed astern was just above our heads. Captain Andrews seized it and pulled the first of the frail craft toward the Tarantula till it was under the opening we had made. Then they told me to drop down as silently as possible. When I was on board MacDuffy followed, stuffing his wrench into his hip pocket, and last came Captain Andrews. Before we cut loose we, according to Professor Chadwick’s instructions, cut the string by which the jewel casket was suspended, and stowed it safely on board the dugout.
“This done, I cut the painter with a slash of my knife, and the dugout drifted silently off down the current into the darkness. Our escape had been made in safety. We reached the coast, and after paddling northward for half a day, sighted the Sea King. All was as we had left it, and mighty glad every one was to see us. I can tell you. But the plight of Professor Chadwick, Mr. Jesson and the rest, cast a gloom over us all.”
“Tell me,” begged Tom, interrupting again, “are they still on the Tarantula?”
“I don’t know,” replied Ned.
“Well, hurry your story,” exclaimed Jack. “We must go to their rescue wherever they are!”
“Captain Andrews lost no time in ordering me to the wireless,” continued Ned hastily, “and as we steamed northward I kept pumping away at my key. At length, as you know, I got into communication with you. But as I did so there was a sharp and sudden shock through the Sea King, and she came to an abrupt stop. That shaft had parted again. There was nothing for us to do but to anchor. At almost the same time one of the crew shouted that a craft resembling the Tarantula was on the southern horizon and overhauling us fast. It didn’t need a second look to show us that the strange vessel was indeed the Tarantula. As she drew close to us there was a flash and a puff of smoke from her bow, and ‘crash!’ our aerials parted,—shot through at the foremast.
“There we were, crippled and helpless, and I didn’t even know for sure if my message to you was clear or no.”
“One question,” put in Jack, “has the Tarantula a wireless?”
“Yes; I meant to tell you about that. She is fitted with a collapsible military mast, and, from what we overheard, Herrera has a complete plant at his plantation ashore likewise.”