The other two pirates laughed uproariously and Dansitt said, “We borrow lots of things from Tom Swift, don’t we, Chilcote? He’s even going to lend us his jetmarine!”
Tom’s face grew red as the men guffawed.
Bud gritted his teeth and muttered to Tom, “I’d like to take a good crack at them!”
“Keep calm,” Tom whispered, as Chilcote beamed the electronic key on what seemed to be a large boulder standing on end at the edge of the hilly beach.
It proved to be a camouflaged door and immediately slid open, revealing the watery entrance to a cave. As the boat glided through the opening, the door closed behind them. Presently an immense, well-lighted cavern loomed ahead.
To one side was a large dock, to which Jennig steered the boat. When Dansitt had made it fast, the two boys were shoved ashore and led through a stout, steel door into a modern, gleaming laboratory.
Tom and Bud could not restrain gasps of amazement when they saw the array of up-to-date equipment, complete in every detail. Who would guess SEA RAIDERS’ HIDEOUT 187
that under a small Caribbean island lay such a formidable scientific installation!
Chilcote pointed toward a bench along one wall. “Sit down,” he ordered, then turned and whispered to Dansitt who hurried out.
After a few minutes Dansitt returned. He nodded to Chilcote. “Okay,” he said, “I’ve looked over the jetmarine.”
“How does she compare with our new two-man sub?” Chilcote asked quickly.
“Ours is not so completely equipped.”
Tom’s pulse beat faster. So that was what the pirates were stealing uranium for-to build an atomic submarine of their own!