This was finally accomplished, and the lieutenant, with the two injured men, were landed in the long compartment, which served as the dining room.
The sub-lieutenant was found pinned by some boxes between two stanchions, which had not been distributed and placed within the compartments. The seaman soon released him; he was not injured in any way, and now that the lieutenant was in a serious condition, the command devolved on him.
"That motion, if anything, will disentangle us from the nets," said the captain, addressing the sub-lieutenant. The latter did not reply, but turned on the captain with a frown.
"Your opinion is not requested!" he said in a terse manner.
The captain made a quiet bow and moved toward their small room, the boys following.
"I am sorry that fellow is in command," said Alfred. "I never liked him from the first."
"I'll bet we were locked up by that fellow's orders, for I don't believe the lieutenant had anything to do with it," remarked Ralph. The captain nodded his head, as he replied: "I knew that from the first day."
"I'd like to get ahead of him some way," said Alfred.
The captain looked at the boys for a few moments, then quietly put his hands on their arms, as he said: "Getting ahead, or getting even, doesn't pay, as a rule; but I have known where a few have been able to overcome a great many, as a duty, for that is what makes men strong."
Alfred's eyes fairly bulged, as he gazed at the captain. "Isn't it a duty to capture this submarine?"