Moments later, Exman was being hauled up through the hatch and transferred aboard the raider. The Americans glared in angry silence.
L
136 THE VISITOR FROM PLANET X
“Thanks so much, my stupid friends!” Narko taunted them with a jeering laugh. Then he followed his crewmen as the last one scrambled back to the enemy submarine.
With laughs and waves, they disappeared into its conning tower. The hatch was clamped shut and the raider promptly submerged.
Tom and his men were amazed, but delighted at not having been taken prisoner along with Exman. All of them broke into happy chuckles of relief.
“Wow! That’s what I call fast service!” Bud exclaimed.
“It was sure a blamed sight easier’n I expected,” Chow said. “Thought fer a while we might end up feedin’ the fishes!”
“You put on a real act, Chow!” Tom said, clapping the stout old cook on the back. “Well, they’ve taken the bait. Now let’s hope it pays off-for us!”
The Americans swarmed below again, closed the hatch, and submerged.
Tom took his time in bringing the jet pumps up to speed. “Wonder if we should pretend to proceed on course, or turn around and head for home?” he murmured to Hank.
Hank’s reply was cut short by a yell from Hanson at the sonarphone.
“Missile coming, skipper! Straight at us!”
CHAPTER XVI
A UNIQUE EXPERIMENT
“BEARING?” Tom cried.
“One-seven-five!” Arv Hanson sang out.
Tom gunned his port jet turbine and swung the Swiftsure hard right. The abrupt turn at high speed sent the craft sideslipping crazily like a skidding race boat.
“Here she comes, skipper!” Bud yelled. He had rushed to the sonarscope with the other members of the crew.