"Now let them have the brig," said Mr. De Vere. "I've gotten the best
out of her."
But Blowitz and his men seemed to have lost interest in the derelict.
Instead of continuing on their course toward it they were now coming
full speed after the Ripper, the tug being steered to cross her bows.
Probably Blowitz took it for granted that De Vere had the papers and
gold.
"They're after us!" cried Jerry.
"Yes, but they've got to catch us!" declared Bob.
An instant later a puff of white smoke spurted out from the side of
the Monarch, something black jumped from wave-crest to wave-crest.
Then came a dull boom.
"What's that?" asked Bob, in alarm.
"A shot across our bows. A command to lay to," said Mr. De Vere.
CHAPTER XXX
THE END OF BLOWITZ-- CONCLUSION
"ARE you going to stop?" asked Ned, of Maurice De Vere.
"Not unless you boys are afraid. I don't believe they can hit us.
That's only a small saluting cannon they have, and it's hard to shoot
straight when there's as much sea on as there is now. Do you want to
stop and surrender?"
"Not much!" cried the three motor boys in a breath.
"Then may it be a stern chase and a long chase!" exclaimed Mr. De
Vere. "Crowd her all you can, Ned, and we'll beat him."
Ned needed no urging to make the powerful motor do its best. The
machinery was throbbing and humming, and the Ripper was cutting
through the water "with a bone in her teeth," as the sailors say.
"Swing her around so as to get the tug in back of us," advised Jerry.
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