"We can very soon convince the captain of the port that he's made a mistake," said Matt quietly. "Get your written instructions, Glennie, and we'll go ashore with him. There's something queer about this, and it may be a good thing for us to get to the bottom of it."
"How aboudt Tick und me?" inquired Carl. "Ain'd ve going along mit you?"
"You and Dick and the rest of the crew," Matt answered, "will stay here and take care of the Grampus. Somebody will have to do that, you know, Carl. It's fully as important as going ashore and explaining matters to the officials."
Glennie told the captain of the port that he and Matt would go ashore with him and make it plain to everybody that there was a mistake. The ensign's uniform, spick and span and mighty fetching, made a wholesome impression upon the captain of the port.
While Glennie was getting his papers, the port official dropped back alongside the torpedo and examined it with considerable interest. When the ensign reappeared on the submarine's deck, the boat was brought back and Matt and Glennie got aboard. In five minutes they had reached the wharf and clambered ashore.
The negroes who had rowed the boat dropped in on each side of the two young Americans, each drawing an old-fashioned pistol that fired with a percussion cap.
"They're bound we're not going to run," laughed Matt.
"I don't know," returned Glennie, "but I'd rather be in front of those old relics when they're shot off than behind them. I guess a fellow would be safer."
The captain of the port led the way to the Casa de la Administracion of the Señora Cousiño. It was built on the crest of a low rise, and afforded a fine view of the bay. A tall, slim man, who looked like a Frenchman, stood on the steps of the casa surveying the Grampus through a glass. With an expression of disappointment, he lowered the glass and turned toward the captain of the port as he drew near. Then there was French talk and Spanish talk—the tall, slim man using his native tongue, which the Chilian evidently understood, and the Chilian using the Spanish, with which the Frenchman appeared familiar.
Glennie gave strict attention to all that was going on. The finger and whole-arm movements, the hunching of the shoulders, and the shaking and ducking of the heads, accompanied the talk as a sort of pantomime. Matt was highly amused.