“Keep that boat away!” commanded the former, half rising in his seat.
“Ma foi, yes; it is one grand risk,” chimed in Pierre, with fear in his tone.
“Then make him stop his own engine!” shouted Bill Stiles. And he actually changed his course, so that the prow of the “Dart” began to swing slowly in toward the “Reindeer.”
The utter abandon and recklessness of the Ripley students brought forth a storm of stern protests from the now really alarmed Colonel.
“Look out!” he called; “you’ll be into us in another moment—look out!”
But Bill Stiles paid no heed to this warning. The “Gray Gull” was now but a short distance away, and both boats were headed directly toward it.
“What are you trying to do, you idiots?” yelled Lon Bates, alarmed and angry.
“Swing around, if you don’t like it; quick, now!”
“Great Cæsar!” groaned Fred Winter. “These reckless chaps will have us all in the water.”
“I insist—shut down your engine!” roared the Colonel, and, with an angry gesture, he reached over, as if to operate the lever himself.