In some manner, the boys could never tell just how, they succeeded in getting the man below deck and in following him themselves. Matt, who was the last to leave, was so nearly fagged that he had not the strength to close the hatch. Carl bounded up the iron ladder, got the hatch in place, and slid down again.
Matt, Dick, and Glennie, utterly exhausted, were lying on the floor among those whom they had rescued. Water, which had entered the open hatch, was churning back and forth and splashing through scuppers into the tank room. Clackett had set a pump to work, and was ejecting the water as rapidly as possible.
"Were any of the port plates sprung by that collision with the wreck, Carl?" inquired Matt, rousing himself. "Did all this water come down the hatchway?"
"Efery pit oof id, Matt," declared Carl. "Clackett looked ofer der blates, und he say dot dey vas all righdt."
"Then submerge until the periscope ball is awash," went on Matt. "These poor fellows can't stand this knocking around."
The violent rolling and pitching of the boat was throwing the five men in every direction.
Carl communicated at once with Clackett, in the tank room, and the _Grampus_ was soon riding easier, some ten feet under the surface.
"We're off Cape Virgins," announced Speake, once more at the steering wheel and with his eyes on the periscope.
Matt crawled to the locker and pulled out one of the charts. After a few moments' study of it he gave Speake the course.
"As soon as we get into Possession Bay," said Matt, "we'll be out of this gale. Be careful, Speake."
"It's hard to be careful, Matt, when you ain't able to see the surface more'n a third of the time," was the answer, "but I'll do the best I can. I think you fellows are entitled to a little rest after what you done on deck. Je-ru-sa-lem! but that was a plucky fight you made. I wouldn't have given the fag end o' nothin' for your chances of savin' those fellows--and not much more for your chances o' gettin' back yourselves."
One by one the rescued men began to recover. Carl had been working over the unconscious man, and when he opened his eyes he began to groan.
"He's hurt," announced Carl. "He vouldn't make a noise like dot oof he vasn't hurt."