"He'll have quite enough to do to think about his own safety before I've done with him," rejoined von Giespert insolently. "Meanwhile, you'll consider yourself a prisoner, Mr. Whatever your name is. If you give trouble, then we'll pitch you to the sharks." "Right-o," replied Alec. "You might do me one favour, though." "What's that?" inquired von Giespert. "Let Harborough know I'm safe." The Hun laughed boisterously. He felt that as far as his prisoner was concerned he could afford to ride the high horse. "If Harborough is anxious, he can come here for you," he replied. "I'll be more than ready for him." [Illustration: CLAVERHOUSE STEERS THE SEAPLANE INTO THE LAGOON] CHAPTER XXVI Harborough's Ruse It was not until sunset that Villiers was forced to admit the probability that misfortune had overtaken Alec Claverhouse. The majority of the other fellows had already taken pessimistic views upon the subject of the airman's failure to return. Even Harborough, although he said little, was far from hopeful. He realized that the responsibility of the flight rested upon him, and he reproached himself for sending Alec on the trip, when, with very little trouble, the _Titania_ might have proceeded to investigate the state of the rival expedition. "Alec knows his job thoroughly," declared Trevear; "if he's been forced to come down the old bus will float." "Unfortunately, Nua Leha's dead to windward," remarked Merridew. "And Ni Telang's dead to leeward," added Beverley. "Of course he might have found that things were in a bad way with the _Zug_, and in that case he would have landed to offer assistance." "It's no use kagging and hanging on to the slack," said Harborough briskly. "We'll take the _Titania_ and search for him. Not at once, though. On a night like this it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. If we start an hour before dawn, it will be daylight when we reach the farthest easterly position he's likely to be, after making due allowance for the drift of the sea-plane. Tell off a couple of hands to remain here, Mr. Villiers. The rest will go on board; they may be more than useful." With this cryptic utterance Harborough led the way to the boats. Fortunately, there were plenty of tinned and preserved provisions on board the _Titania_, and she was practically ready for sea at half an hour's notice. Before midnight the remaining boats were hoisted in, the cable hove short, and the sail covers taken off; while, in case Claverhouse should make for the island during the hours of darkness, the searchlight was run in a vertical direction to serve as an aerial signpost. All hands with the exception of the look-out then turned in to make up much needed arrears of sleep, for neither ashore nor afloat had they had a wink of sleep during the previous night, and had been working at high pressure during the succeeding day.