As he put the question Dick was working at one of the other cables.
"I'll tell you when we're in the air, Dick," rejoined Matt. "Carl butted into a moving picture, and a whole lot of trouble has come from it."
While Dick was casting off the last rope and heaving it aboard, Matt jumped into the car and got the motor going. By the time Dick was in the car with him, Matt switched the power into the propeller, tilted the steering rudder so as to carry the Hawk upward and seaward, and they were off.
"Keep your eye on the boat, Dick," called Matt, "and let me know just where she is all the time."
"Just now, matey," Dick answered, from the lookout station forward, "the boat's doubling the end of the Heinz pier."
"The rascal will not land there. He knows the police will be waiting for him. I don't see how it's possible for him to get away, with the whole shore line patrolled."
"What's he done? Keelhaul me if I haven't been trying to guess that for the last ten minutes."
"As I told you, Carl got into a moving picture. Some men were taking a picture on the beach, and Carl, seeing a young woman—as he thought—in distress, tried to save her from pirates. The gang set a dog on him, and in getting away from the dog, our pard upset a dago's pushcart. An officer had Carl, when I got over close to the pier, and the picture people and the dago were making it hot for him. I guess they'd have jailed Carl if it hadn't been for Mr. Townsend——"
"The Townsend we had with us on the last trip?"
"Yes. Townsend knew the picture man, and from the way he talked I guess he don't know much good of him. Anyhow, while Townsend was looking through some documents he had taken from his pocket, the picture man—Jurgens by name—grabbed a paper and made off with it. Great spark plugs! I never saw a more brazen piece of work. I chased Jurgens out on the steel pier, but he got away from me by taking to a rowboat that was moored there."