CHAPTER XXIII--OVERBOARD

"Come on now, we have them!" cried Frank.

"Surrender there! Give up! Stop!" shouted Ned. "Halt, Senor Bernardo!"

But the Portuguese revolutionist and his rebel rascals kept on. Frank brought his rifle to his shoulder and exclaimed:

"Halt, or I'll fire!"

Whether he actually would or not, he never stopped to consider. Shooting at a man in the open that way, when the heat of battle has passed, is a hard matter. Frank could not decide what to do. But the aimed gun had no effect, and a second later, with shouts of exultation, Bernardo and his men leaped from a small pier into a power boat, which was cast off and set in motion at once.

"They've beaten us!" gasped Ned. "They've gotten away!"

"Oh for a boat!" cried Frank. "If we had one--even our _Ellen_--we might catch them!"

"But we haven't," said Ned, sadly, as he saw the powerful craft, containing the escaping revolutionists, speeding out into the bay. The cutters and motor boats of the warship were some distance away, some of them having been taken back to the _Georgetown_.

One of the men who was among the last to leap into the boat after Bernardo, carried a large tin box. He seemed to be very careful of it.

"Probably it contains what cash they have left," said Frank.

"Yes, and perhaps papers that might serve to free Uncle Phil," added his brother. "Oh, Frank, we simply must get those fellows!"

"What's the trouble?" asked Mr. Kennedy, who came running up at that moment. He was rather stout, and had been winded by the pursuit. "Where are Bernardo and his rascals?" he asked.

"There they go," replied Frank, pointing to the motor boat, now well away from shore.

"And one of them has a tin box full of money with him," added Ned.

"Not much money left among the revolutionists," was the comment of the coffee man. "Besides, if there is, you can be sure Bernardo has it safely put away somewhere. He wouldn't take any chances carrying it with him in that fashion."

"But there was something of value in the box," Frank insisted.

"Papers and documents, most likely," said Mr. Kennedy. "Those fellows don't want to leave behind anything incriminating. They aren't any fonder of going to prison than the next man."

"If that tin box contains papers some of them might prove our uncle's innocence," ventured Frank.

"By Jove! So they might!" cried the coffee merchant. "I never thought of that. Bernardo is just the sort of rascal, too, to do away with the proof."

"If we only had a boat!" and Ned groaned in disappointment as he uttered the words.

At that moment there came out from around one of the piers a small motor boat.

"Look!" cried Frank. "It isn't very big, but it will hold us. And maybe we can catch them. Hi, you!" he called to the man in the boat, "sell us your craft--lend it to us. We'll pay you well!"

The man only shrugged his shoulders and turned away.

"Name your own price!" yelled Ned.

"He doesn't understand you," said Kennedy. "He's Portuguese. I know him. He's a fruit dealer. I'll talk to him."

Rapidly the coffee merchant explained the situation. There was a quick exchange of rapid-fire talk, and the boatman brought his craft to shore.

"Get in!" cried Mr. Kennedy. "We'll give those rascals a race, but I'm afraid we haven't much chance. They have a good start, and their boat is faster than ours, but we'll do the best we can."

Eagerly Frank and Ned, not forgetting their rifles, jumped into the boat. A moment later they were off. The motor boat was of recent pattern, and contained a good engine. But the Portuguese who owned it did not know how to get the most speed out of the machine. He was rather surprised when Frank made some adjustments, changing the timer, and regulating the air intake valve of the carburetor.

At once the craft increased her speed.

"Say, you boys know something about boats, don't you?" exclaimed the coffee man, while the Portuguese looked in wonder at our two heroes.

"Oh, we know a little," admitted Ned, modestly.

"I wish I knew enough to make this into a hydroplane," said Frank, as he peered eagerly toward the boat they were pursuing. "It's about the only way we'll be able to catch those rascals I'm afraid."

"We're pulling up on them a little," declared Ned.

"Not enough, though," his brother retorted, rather gloomily.

They were well out in the bay, which was unusually calm. Back in the city the last remnants of the revolutionary army--if such it could be called--were fleeing before the combined forces of American business men, their employees, the loyal citizens, and, finally, the blue-jackets from the _Georgetown_.

"I wonder what the lieutenant will say to us, running off from the squad this way?" remarked Ned, as he filled the almost empty oil cups.

"Why, it's all right--we're in pursuit of the enemy," replied Frank. "Just because our private interests happen to be served also, doesn't do any harm."

"I think you're right," agreed Mr. Kennedy. "I will explain matters if you get into any trouble. But, boys, I really think we are gaining on them!"

Ned and Frank stood up, and looked searchingly ahead. They were nearer to the boat containing Bernardo and his cronies. They could see them more plainly. There appeared to be some dispute going on about the tin box, which was wound around with many turns of rope.

"I wish they'd have such a difference of opinion that they'd fight among themselves," remarked Ned. "Then some of them might come over on our side, and we'd have the evidence we need."

"No such luck," sighed Frank. "We might as well wish they'd go near enough the battleship, so we could signal to have them fired on.

"Not sunk, though," he added quickly, "for that would lose the box for us altogether. I'd just like to have one of our quick-firers disable them. But we're going away from the _Georgetown_, instead of toward it."

This was only too evident.

Of course Ned and Frank might have fired on the escaping men in the boat ahead of them, as they were within rifle shot, but neither of the boys dreamed of shooting at the rascals. It was too cold-blooded.

The boat of the fruit dealer was making good time. It was smaller and lighter than the larger craft containing Bernardo and the others, and was not so heavily laden.

"Ned, I believe we're going to catch them!" Frank cried, a little later. "I can see them ever so much more plainly."

"So can I," said Mr. Kennedy. "Now, boys, you had better let me do the talking, if we really overhaul them and force them to stop. I can speak their language and I know what to say to them to bring them to terms I think. And you want to look out. Bernardo is an ugly customer, and he is probably very bitter over the defeat of his forces and the collapse of the revolution. He'll be especially vindictive against you sailors, for if it had not been for Uncle Sam's men the revolutionists would undoubtedly have won."

"Well, we have our rifles and automatics," replied Frank, as he looked to see that his gun was loaded, and the pistol in readiness. "If they try any monkey business--"

"Look! Look!" suddenly interrupted Ned. "They're having another dispute! And it's about the box!"

Several of the rascals were now standing up in the boat. One of them had the box in his arms, and Bernardo was trying to take it from him. High words could be heard.

"We're going to close in on them, and they know it," exulted Frank. "Maybe some of them want to offer us the box to stop the pursuit."

"I wouldn't agree to that," said Mr. Kennedy. "You might need more evidence than is in the box--personal testimony. Don't let them get away if you possibly can stop them."

"I really believe we are going to get them," cried Ned.

It seemed very probable, and the revolutionists evidently thought the same thing. The dispute over the box was renewed.

"I wonder what really is in it," ventured Ned.

No one could tell him.

Suddenly one of the men stood up, dealt the revolutionist who held the box a blow that sent him overboard, and as he fell, the man dealing the blow caught the box in his own hands. Then he yelled out something in his own tongue.

"What is he saying?" asked Ned, eagerly.

"Quiet, just a moment," cautioned Mr. Kennedy, who was listening intently.

The man screamed something at those in the pursuing boat, and shook one fist at them. Then, with a sudden motion, he tossed the box into the water. It sank instantly, and groans of disappointment came from Ned and Frank. The evidence that possibly would clear their uncle, and restore their fortunes, seemed lost forever.

"What did he say?" asked Frank.

"He said that all the documents referring to the revolution would rest on the bottom of the bay," translated Mr. Kennedy. "He defied us, saying that though the revolution was checked it was not over, and that no punishment could be given Bernardo and his friends, because the necessary papers would never fall into our hands."

"Did he say anything about Uncle Phil?" asked Ned.

"I don't believe he knows him, though Bernardo does, and he may suspect you are his nephews," answered the coffee merchant.

"Come on!" yelled Frank. "They may have destroyed the documentary evidence, but we'll get them and make them testify in person! We'll be up to them in another minute. Get your gun ready, Ned!"

But alas for their hopes! Their motor suddenly "went dead." They lost headway, and the other boat drew swiftly away, while the revolutionist who had been knocked overboard was seen swimming toward the stalled craft.