Tom, as he was pulled over the side, had a glimpse of the Gull going back where she came from. He remembered that neither Mr. Damon nor Koku could operate the craft without some one along to advise them, and the young inventor had doubts about the tramp’s navigating ability in the emergency.
“Well, anyhow, she’ll get to shore and they’ll be all right,” reasoned Tom.
Then he gave thought to his own situation.
“Well, we’ve sure got him now!” chuckled one of the three men.
“You said it!” echoed another. “We didn’t make no mistake this time!”
Tom almost fell on the gagged and bound body of another young man, and it needed but a glance to show him that here was Ned Newton, a prisoner like himself. Ned could not speak and could hardly move, but his eyes flashed a greeting to Tom.
“They’ve got us both!” said Tom in a low voice to his chum, as he crawled alongside of Ned. “But they won’t keep us long. Are you hurt, Ned?”
A shake of the head in negation was the only way Ned could reply.
Then further talk on Tom’s part was stopped, for one of the men, standing over the two captives with an automatic in one hand, growled:
“Shut up down there!”