That same afternoon the subs broached the matter to the master and mate of the lost Myra.
"I must cry off, thanks all the same," was Captain Pennington's reply. "Happen what may my place is with my men. I have no objection to Armstrong going with you, but I hope you have carefully weighed the matter. If you miss being picked up by the boats of the squadron your plight will be an unenviable one. The climate, the wild nature of the coast, and the natives, who are certainly under German influence, are all against you. Personally I think you stand a better chance by remaining here and letting events take their course. The Pelikan is trapped. Capture or destruction is but a matter of time."
"True," admitted Denbigh. "But these fellows evidently mean to put up a stiff fight. They've been doing something down the river—probably throwing up masked batteries. If we could manage to find out what they are up to and can communicate the intelligence to our ships it would help matters."
"That's another consideration," said Captain Pennington. "In fact, your duty lies that way."
"Are you trying your luck with us, Armstrong?" asked O'Hara.
"I'd be only too pleased to have a cut at it," replied the mate. "Especially as Captain Pennington has no objections. How do you propose to get clear of the ship? You can't swim ashore, because there's nothing but slimy mud on the bank for some distance."
"There's a punt made fast alongside the port quarter," said Denbigh. "They don't hoist it on board at night, because it's there when we turn in and in the same place when we come on deck in the morning. They only use it during the day."
"And there's a sentry right aft," objected Armstrong. "He'd spot us as sure as daylight."
"Look here," declared the sub. "If I succeed in getting her alongside amidships will you be ready to swarm down and into her?"
Armstrong nodded in assent. O'Hara also expressed his willingness to attempt the enterprise.