"It's like potting a sitting rabbit," thought Peter, as he slipped a cartridge into the breech of his rifle. "It's not giving the fellow a ghost of a chance."
Yet, his compunction notwithstanding, Peter's hands were as steady and his eye as clear as an experienced hunter's. It was the first time in his life that he had had a human being covered with a rifle--but it was the only way.
Deliberately he pressed the trigger. The Rioguayan captain did not appear to move. Peter was beginning to think that he had missed, when the man leant forward until his head rested on his arms on the deck of the fuselage--to all appearances as if he were asleep.
Without hesitation, the Englishmen vaulted over the ledge of rocks on to the beach and ran towards the flying-boat. They fully expected to find their way barred by the two mechanics; but the latter had either not heard the shot, or, if they had, had taken it as one of the many fired by the searchers on the island.
[Illustration: PETER TACKLES THE SENTRY _Page_ 126]
Gaining the pilot's cabin, Peter peered down the hatchway into the engine-room. The place was empty. Hurrying aft, he found the two mechanics in the motor-room, where the twin engines driving the after pair of propellers were situated.
At the sight of a couple of automatics thrust down the hatchway both men raised their arms with commendable celerity.
"Up--you!" ordered Uncle Brian, indicating one of the engineers.
The fellow complied, his olivine features grey with terror.
At Brian Strong's orders, backed up by an indisputable argument in the shape of a pistol, the man was marched along the alley-way to the gangway and told to go ashore and bring back the grapnel and mooring rope. This he did.
"Now," continued Brian sternly, "you can go and stand over there," indicating a spot close to the mangled remains of the "orange-box". "If you shift from there while you are within range of a rifle, you won't stir more than half a dozen steps. I'm a crack shot.... All right, Peter. Away as soon as you like."
The remaining mechanic was ordered for'ard to start the motors. For the present the flying-boat was to be actuated only by the bow propellers, those aft being required only when proceeding at top speed.