"He had to tell us," went on Matt, "because he wanted to use our air ship in order to get to Turtle Key. With the Hawk, Townsend thought he could reach the Key before the Grampus got there, and that we could then lie in wait for Jurgens and his men."
From this point, Matt rehearsed the adventures that had overtaken him and his chums and Townsend, bringing the recital down to the point where Jurgens and Whistler had been captured, and the attack made on the submarine.
Cassidy, Burke and Harris listened to the story with intense interest. When Matt was through, exclamations of wonder and surprise went up from the three men.
"Never heard of anythin' like that, dashed if I have!" averred Harris.
"Sounds like a fish story," asserted Burke, "only it has the facts to bear it out."
"You lads have gone through a lot for Cap'n Nemo, Jr.," said Cassidy, "an' you've not only done a lot for him, but you've likewise done a little somethin' for us fellers."
"How's that?" asked Matt.
"I'm purty sure Jurgens was plannin' to maroon us on the island, here. He an' his men had found out from us all they wanted to know about runnin' the ship, an' so, havin' no use for us, they wouldn't bother to keep us around. Yes, I'm sartain they was goin' to turn us adrift on the island; but you an' your mates, Motor Matt, saved us from that."
"Of course," said Matt, "we've got to go back to Palm Beach."