De
Vere turned aside, refusing to notice him, for the scoundrel had
greatly wronged him, and was now adding insult to injury.
There was a ringing of bells on the tug, and the powerful vessel
forged ahead, leaving the Ripper astern.
"Shall we speed up?" asked Jerry. "We can easily beat them, for ours
is the faster boat."
"No, let him go," replied Mr. De Vere. "He has no more idea, than have
I, where to look for the derelict. He is taking the same chances we
are, but I'll not follow him. As he says, we are rivals now. I hope I
win, for my whole fortune depends on it."
"We'll do our best to help you," said Bob.
"That's what we will," added Jerry, and Ned nodded an assent.
"Bear off to the left," suggested Mr. De Vere, as a cloud of black
smoke from the funnel of the tug showed that the engineer was crowding
on steam. "We'll part company from them."
Speeding up the engine Jerry steered the Ripper out of the course of
the Monarch. The hunt of the rivals to locate the derelict brig was
now on.
CHAPTER XXVII
THE DERELICT
"THEY don't seem to be following us now," observed Ned, after they had
watched the tug continuing on her course.
"No, it looks as if they were taking another tack," said Maurice De
Vere. "I wonder if he can have private information as to the location
of the brig? If he has he may get ahead of me and discover her first."
"I don't believe he has," was Jerry's opinion. "I think he is on a
blind search, just as we are.
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