Jack had their course changed a trifle so as to bear direct for the source of that long ray of brilliant light.
“See if you can find a sheet, or anything white, that can be fastened up to show we do not mean to offer resistance,” he told Amos, who soon had the “flag of truce,” as he called it, in place.
“Seems to me, Jack, that if we mean to give the captain his chance to get away we ought to be doing it before that light gets us,” suggested Amos, when he had once more joined his chum.
“It is a bit dangerous,” the other admitted, “but if worked right, it might be done.”
“We could let them come up, one at a time, and climb into the boat, after we made sure they carried no weapons,” suggested Amos.
Jack weighed the chances. To be on the safe side he knew they would be wise to let things go as they were and trust to the officer on the boarding boat to let them keep their word to the men. Jack thought a good deal of his word, which, once given, he would dislike to see broken.
“I guess Captain Zenos must be a well-known character among the commanders of the Allied vessels,” he mused. “As he’s probably run more than a few cargoes of high explosives past their lines they would like to wind up his career. You see, he has caused a heap of damage by means of the shells he’s smuggled across; and they would want to shoot him. We’ll give him a chance, Amos.”
On his part Amos was not unwilling. Ever since he had seen the utterly fearless way in which the smuggler and gun-runner had dashed into that hold, not knowing but what the expected explosion might come at any second, the boy had conceived a certain amount of admiration for him.
“But we’ve got to be mighty careful, Jack,” he warned the other. “These men are desperate, and not to be trusted.”
“We’ll risk that, Amos. Now, attend to me, and keep your pistol ready for use at a second’s notice.”