Page:Cruise of the Dry Dock.djvu/258

 Caradoc came up and the two adventurers stood in the boat's prow, both holding to the ladder.

“I'll bet that scoundrel shoots down,” whispered Leonard, “before we get halfway up.”

“Don't talk so loud—are you ready to try it?”

“What are you going to do—jump on him?” breathed Leonard.

“No, your plan. If you see he is going to shoot you before you get inside, jump backwards and dive.”

“And remember to go far enough out not to hit the dinghy.”

“Good.”

Madden stared up into the mysterious vessel, caught the ladder and swung himself silently onto the rungs. Caradoc mounted close behind him. They had mounted only two or three steps, when a sudden terrific report thundered above their heads.

It was so unexpected, so violent, that the two boys almost tumbled into the sea. The next instant they found themselves wrapped in an atmosphere of hot, stifling steam. They clung to the rungs in a veritable steam-bath that