"Are the men still there?" asked Captain Restronguet.
"They were, sir, when she settled on our deck."
The sound of the concussion had brought the rest of the crew aft, and in a crowd they stood at the foot of the steps leading to the tower. The captain leant over the circular aperture and hailed them.
"Men," said he, "who will take the risk and venture outside?"
A dozen voices replied in the affirmative, even that of Gwennap, the non-swimmer.
"You, Polglaze, and you, Lancarrow. A couple of life-lines there, and two men to tend them."
Quickly Polglaze and Lancarrow sprang up the ladder and entered the conning-tower.
"There's a boat or small craft lying across our deck," explained Captain Restronguet. "I believe there are some of her crew still aboard. I want you to investigate, and should there be any men bring them back."
Deftly the two members of the "Aphrodite's" crew secured the life-lines round their waists. Devoran unlocked the lid of the aperture in the conning-tower. As the hatch opened a wave burst through, flooding the floor to a depth of two inches--the height of the coaming round the trap-door leading to the Number Two Platform. Before a second wave had time to add to the mischief already Polglaze and Lancarrow were battling their way up the shelving, slippery sides of the stranded vessel. To gain her deck there were no other means, for her keel extended far beyond the side of the submarine. Twice Lancarrow slipped, but aided by his companion, who was already astride the fishing-boat's shattered bulwarks he succeeded in scaling the wall of wood.
Just then a heavy sea came inboard. The wrecked craft rocked, seemed on the point of lurching once more into the depths, when a correcting heel of the "Aphrodite" saved the situation and the lives of the two heroes.