“He sure is telling the truth! Look behind you and see,” said Fred, and began to laugh in a suggestive way.
This laugh took the German off his guard, and he turned swiftly to see who might be behind him. It was the opportunity that the young captain and the young lieutenant had hoped would come, and, taking a perilous chance, they threw themselves on the back of the German, each at the same time catching hold of a hand that held a pistol. Then Gif rushed in; and between them the cadets succeeded in hurling the fellow, muscular though he was, to the floor.
“Give up!” cried Jack suddenly, and, bringing out his flashlight, he placed the cold glass of the end against the German’s neck.
“Kamerad! Kamerad!” yelled the fellow promptly, thinking that it was a pistol which was pressing upon him, and on the instant he released his hold on the two pistols while he stretched out flat on his chest on the floor of the submarine.
Jack lost no time in picking up one of the pistols, while Fred picked up the other. The flashlight was turned over to Gif, who, meanwhile, had armed himself with a steel bar.
“Now the question is—what are we going to do with this fellow?” remarked Jack, after the short encounter had come to an end. It must be confessed that he and the others were much worked up over the situation, for they had not dreamed of coming in such personal contact with one of the enemy.
“We’ve got to get out of here, and do it quick,” returned Gif. “Those other Germans may come back at any minute.”
“Yes, but we’ll have to take this fellow along,” said Fred. “No use of leaving him here to give an alarm.”
“We’ll gag him!” declared the young captain. And without loss of time the three cadets fixed up a gag such as they sometimes used when they were initiating a new member of one of the secret societies of the military academy. Then the German’s hands were bound tightly behind him, and he was ordered to get up and march.
“Wait a minute,” said Fred. “We’ll have to fix things here so it won’t look suspicious. We’ll make it look as if this chap had just stepped out for some fresh air.”