"By several miles an hour," confirmed the assistant pilot. "Though in which direction they are heading, and what they are going to do with us is more than I can guess." "That's so!" agreed Mr. Damon. "What is to become of us? They may heave us overboard into the ocean!" "Into the ocean!" cried Ned apprehensively. "Are we near the sea?" "We must be, by this time," spoke Tom. "We were headed in that direction, and we have come almost far enough to put us somewhere over the Atlantic, off the Jersey coast." A look of apprehension was on the faces of all. But Tom's face did not remain clouded long. "We won't try to swim until we have to," he said. "Now, let's take an account of stock, and see if we have any means of getting out of this prison." 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.