"Waiting to go to a German prison," came a voice from one of the figures seated against the bulkhead.
"Which means wellnigh starvation for the British," said another, whereat there was silence.
"If--starvation if----" began Bill, as though he had suddenly thought of something brilliant.
"If--we--get--to--a--German--prison!" the burly individual repeated slowly, emphasizing each word in turn. "Now, you don't think--look here, my name's Jack, and I was bos'n aboard our vessel. You spit it out. What's the yarn?"
Larry looked at Bill curiously. In the dim semi-darkness of the hold he could see his face, not clearly, but sufficiently well to realize that his eyes were gleaming.
"Yep, Bill," he said encouragingly, "spit it out! It don't want any tellin' that neither you nor me, nor any of these fellows, wants to go to a German prison, but----"
"Aye, but," said Jim, "how are we to work it not to do so?"
"Depends," said Bill, "only it's got to be done quick, if at all. I'm only guessing, but I reckon we're steaming now for the German coast. There are mine-fields and all sorts of things through which a vessel has to thread her way, and once in those we couldn't easily make our way out again; so the sooner we get to work the better."
"Like this. Make a row, shout, attract the attention of the guards, get 'em to come down here, collar one of 'em, take his rifle, fight our way up. I'm not sure, but I had a good look round when we came aboard, and counted only eight men. Two of them were armed, and stood near the companion down which we came, the rest were deck-hands. There will be the captain, too, and a small staff down in the engine-room--they needn't count. If we're going to do it, we shall be through with the business and masters of the ship before the engineers knows what's happened. Then, if we are wise----"
The burly sailor clapped a hand on Bill's shoulder.
"You speak soft, sonny," he said; "you just talk gently for a moment. Bless me, but I believe he's got the very idea; and if the idea's any good it's as he says: it's got to be done now. This very moment, as you might say, within half an hour at most, and it's got to be gone through without whimpering. Boys, close round!"
Heads had been lifted in the meanwhile, the figures of men crouching against the bulkheads and against the side of the trawler, crouching despondently it must be admitted, had moved, had straightened themselves, while not a few of their fellow-prisoners had sprung to their feet and come nearer as Bill and his friends discussed the matter.