CHAPTER XXIII ACROSS THE SEA

With one accord the hands of the captives sought their pockets.  Probably the first thought of each one was a knife—­a pocket knife.  But blank looks succeeded their first hopeful ones, for the hands came out empty.

“Not a thing!” exclaimed Mr. Damon.  “Not a blessed thing!  They have even taken my keys and—­my fountain pen!”

“I guess they searched us all while they were struggling with us, tying us up,” suggested Ned.  “I had a knife with a big, strong blade, but it’s gone.”

“So is mine,” echoed Tom.

“And I haven’t even a screwdriver, or a pocket-wrench,” declared the engineer, “though I had both.”

“They evidently knew what they were doing,” said Lieutenant Marbury.  “I don’t usually carry a revolver, but of late I have had a small automatic in my pocket.  That’s gone, too.”

“And so are all my things,” went on his naval friend.  “That Frenchman, La Foy, was taking no chances.”

“Well, if we haven’t any weapons, or means of getting out of here, we must make them,” said Tom, as hopefully as he could under the circumstances.  “I don’t know all the things that were put in this storeroom, and perhaps there may be something we can use.”

“Shall we make the try now?” asked Ned.  “I’m getting thirsty, at least.  Lucky we had supper before they came out at us.”

“Well, there isn’t any water in here, or anything to eat, of so much I am sure,” went on Tom “So we will have to depend on our captors for that.”

“At least we can shout and ask for water,” said Lieutenant Marbury.  “They have no excuse for being needlessly cruel.”

They all agreed that this might not be a bad plan, and were preparing to raise a united shout, when there came a knock on the door of their prison.

“Are you willing to listen to reason?” asked a voice they recognized as that of La Foy.

“What do you mean by reason?” asked Tom bitterly.  “You have no right to impose any conditions on us.”

“I have the right of might, and I intend exercising it,” was the sharp rejoinder.  “If you will listen to reason—­”

“Which kind—­yours or ours?” asked Tom pointedly.

“Mine, in this case,” snapped back the Frenchman.  “What I was going to say was that I do not intend to starve you, or cause you discomfort by thirst.  I am going to open the door and put in food and water.  But I warn you that any attempt to escape will be met with severe measures.

“We are in sufficient force to cope with you.  I think you have seen that.”  He spoke calmly and in perfect English, though with a marked accent.  “My men are armed, and will stand here ready to meet violence with violence,” he went on.  “Is that understood?”

For a moment none of the captives replied.

“I think it will be better to give in to him at least for a while,” said Captain Warner in a low voice to Tom.  “We need water, and will soon need food.  We can think and plan better if we are well nourished.”