“I’d like to question your prisoners, Captain,” he said. “They may know something about my father and Mr. Foster who were kidnaped.”
Since it was impractical in the rough water to bring the submarine close enough for a jump to the rope ladder, the officer ordered a lifeboat swung out on a davit over the deck of the submarine. Tom climbed into it and was hoisted aboard.
The captain led him below to a half-empty hold TOM IS TRAPPED 171
where the prisoners were securely chained. Sullen and ugly, they glowered as Tom approached and introduced himself.
“What do you know about my father, Mr. Swift?” he asked sternly. “Where is he?”
When they did not answer, Tom looked into the face of each pirate, hoping to find some sign which might betray one of them as being more humane than the others. He studied the face of a thin, wiry man, who had a grizzly stubble and shifty eyes.
Tom grasped the prisoner’s shirt front in his right fist and pulled him close.
“What do you know about my father and Mr. Foster?” he demanded.
When the pirate did not reply, Tom shook him. At the same time the captain spoke up.
“These men ought to be tied hand and foot and thrown overboard!”
As Tom nodded agreement, the thin man quavered. “No, no, don’t do that!”
he pleaded. “I’ll tell you what you want to know.”
Before he had a chance to, another of the prisoners hurled himself in front of the speaker. “Shut up!” he snarled.
Intimidated, the grizzled sailor said no more, but his companion went on gruffly, “You think you’re smart with your distorter, Tom Swift. Yes, the boss found out about it but he’s got somethin’ up his sleeve that’s more powerful than his pulsator.”