intently at the yawl’s portholes

The boys secreted themselves. They peered intently at the yawl’s portholes. There was barely enough light to see.

“There, did you see that!”

Biff nodded his head. They had seen a white-clad figure flash by one of the portholes.

CHAPTER XII Bomb Away

CHAPTER XII

For several moments Biff and Li remained absolutely quiet and motionless. They knew someone was on the boat. But what was he doing?

“Could he be one of the men bringing supplies to the boat?” Li whispered at last.

Biff shook his head. “No. I don’t think so. You’d see activity on the deck, too, and a truck somewhere nearby. No, we’ve got to investigate what that character is doing.”

“I’ve got an idea, Biff.”

“Let’s have it, Li.”

“Well, look, you know how well I can swim under water. Suppose I slip into the water on this side of the wharf. Then I’ll swim under it, and I can come up right beside the boat. I’ll move along from porthole to porthole and see if I can find out what’s going on in the boat.”

“Sounds okay to me. Good thing we changed into shorts. Be careful not to make any noise.”

“Me, Biff? I’ll be as quiet as a fish.”

He was, too. There wasn’t even the faintest “ker-plop” as Li lowered himself over the edge of the dock and sank into the water.

Biff waited tensely. From behind his stack of pineapple crates, he could get a good view of the starboard side of the yawl. He could see right to the water line and the four portholes just above it.

Moments became minutes, and it seemed to Biff that the minutes were stretching out much too long. Had Li met some obstruction beneath the dock? Biff’s worry was increasing. Finally, he noticed a circle of lightly rippling water near the bow of the boat. In the center of the circle, he could just spot Li’s head.

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