Dick took charge of the transfer of the gasoline, while Bob went down into the periscope room and called up Speake, Clackett, and Gaines.
“Friends,” said he, “we’re off on a short cruise in strange waters—a cruise that will probably call for courage, and will certainly require tact and caution. Mr. Hays Jordan, the American consul, is going with us, and when he comes aboard he will bring a pilot who knows where we are to go and will take us there. You men know that it is Captain Nemo, junior’s, order that I take charge of the work ahead of us. Have you any objection to that?”
“The captain knew his business,” averred Gaines heartily, “and whatever is good enough for him is good enough for us.”
Speake and Clackett likewise expressed themselves in the same whole-souled manner.
“Thank you, my lads,” said Bob. “I suppose you have heard how the mate went off in a huff. That makes us short-handed, in a way, although the pilot we’re to take on will help out. Our work is government work, something for Old Glory, and I feel that we will all of us do our best. We shall have to run all night, and I will arrange to have Ferral relieve Gaines, and Carl relieve Clackett. As for Speake, he will have abundant opportunity to rest, as most of our night work will be on the surface. Speake may now get us something to eat, and after that you will all go to your stations.”
Speake was not long in getting his electric stove to work. There were only a few provisions he could prepare without causing an offensive odor, and the limited menu was quickly on the table. Hardly was the meal finished when a boat hove alongside with Jordan. Bob, Dick, and Carl went up on deck to assist the consul in getting his traps aboard.
Jordan had exchanged his white ducks for a trim suit of khaki. Two belts were around his waist, one of them fluted with cartridges, and the other supporting a brace of serviceable revolvers. With him came three rifles and a box of ammunition.
The pilot was an unkempt half-blood named Tirzal. He was bareheaded and barefooted, and had a ferret-like face and shifty, beadlike eyes.
As soon as the impedimenta was stowed below decks, Bob instructed Tirzal in the steering of the submarine. The boat could be maneuvered either from the conning tower or from the periscope room. When maneuvered from the conning tower, the pilot stood on the iron ladder, using his eyes over the top of the tower hatch; when steered from below, compass and periscope were used.
Tirzal grasped the details with surprising quickness, his little eyes snapping with wonder as they saw the panorama of ocean, shore, and shipping on the mirror top of the periscope table.