"Come back here, I tell ye!" raged the ex-foreman.
"Josh Owen's voice!" throbbed Hastings, but he swam on with the strongest strokes of which he was master. Then a succession of shots rang out. Hal Hastings was in the gravest danger he had ever been in.
CHAPTER XVI
THE LAST SECOND OF THE NICK OF TIME
Despite the whistle of lead, minding only the spray that dashed into his eyes, Hal Hastings swam on.
His one idea, at present, was to reach that submarine boat if it were within human power to do so ere the boat, now nearly all submerged, took the final plunge below the waves.
Grace Desmond did not quit her post, nor cease her heroic efforts to turn on the compressed air. Yet she added her shrill shrieks to Jack Benson's lusty yells for help.
The sounds of the shots from the shore gave them a momentary hope that help of some sort was really on its way.
"It's the last second or two, if you mean to save us!" yelled Jack, at the top of his voice.
Bang! bang! Josh Owen fired two more shots from his dangerous automatic revolver as Hal caught at the rail of the boat.