"And let that man get away?"
"There'd be no help for it. But we haven't turned back yet, and now his craft ought to be easy to trace."
Once more they looked through the glass at the vessel ahead of them. They could see sailors moving about on deck, but that was all. No sign of the tall dark man was visible.
"Perhaps he isn't aboard," suggested Andy.
"It can't be helped," answered his brother. "We want the motor boat almost as much as we want the man, and we can't take our choice I'm afraid. But we are certainly creeping up on them."
This was true, for while two miles had at first separated the vessels, the distance was now narrowed to a little less than a half mile, and the Gull was sailing better than was her rival.
"What are you going to do when you get within hailing distance?" asked
Andy, after a pause.
"I don't know—haven't exactly made up my mind," was the answer of the elder Racer lad. "But I'll have to soon."
Frank was giving all his attention to managing the Gull, so as to gain every foot. Andy went up forward now and then to report progress.
"Hey, Frank!" he suddenly called, "there's something doing on board."