"I think my leg is broken, but otherwise I'm not damaged," replied the detective. "Even if I am disabled, it makes no difference, you are my prisoners. I command you to stay here until help comes." The boys did not know what to do. They did not like to see even an enemy suffer, but, at the same time, they knew he had no right to arrest them. "Here comes a wagon," said Mark, catching the sound of wheels. "Well, fo' de land sakes! Gollyation! What terrible catafterme hab occurred in dis unapproachable manner?" a voice demanded. "It's Washington!" cried Mark, as he saw Professor Henderson's colored assistant driving along the road. "Dat's who it am!" exclaimed Washington as he noticed the boys. "My! My! But am you boff dead?" "No, only one of us," said Mark with a laugh, as he and Jack ran toward the wagon. "Ha! Ha! Dat's one ob yo' jokes," said Washington. "But hurry up, boys. De perfessor he done sent me to meet you. He reckoned you'd becomin' ober on an early trolley. He's in a hurry to git away." "Don't you boys dare to leave!" exclaimed Detective Ducket. "Who's dat?" asked Washington. "Never mind," said Mark. "He was hurt in the trolley smash, but not badly. We'll send help, from the first farm house we come to. Come on, Washington, we'll go with you." The boys jumped into the wagon, and Washington started off. He explained that the inventor was anxious to make a start that day, as there would be an unusually high tide which would be followed a little later by a low one, and that would make it difficult to cross the harbor bar. "So I hired dis wagon an' come after you," said the colored man. At the first house they came to the boys stopped and told about the accident. The farmer agreed to go and get the detective and the others who were hurt and take them to a hospital. "I guess we're rid of that detective now," observed Jack, as they started off again. "Yes, but we're getting away under a cloud on our characters," said Mark. "I'd like to stay and see the thing through, if we had time." "But we can't, and there's no use worrying over it," spoke Jack. In a short time they were at the inventor's cabin, and related to Mr. Henderson all that had occurred. "Well I guess your detective friend will have a hard time to find you in a few hours," said the old man. "We start on our trip for the south pole this evening." There were busy times for the next few hours. Many supplies had to be placed on board, and, while the boys, with Tom and Bill, saw to this, the professor and Washington were occupied with putting the last touches to the submarine boat's machinery. Most of the supplies from the cabin were placed in the _Porpoise_, including food and clothing and a good quantity of minerals that, with sea water, generated the gas that made steam.