A look of astonishment appeared in Glennie's face as he listened.
"By George!" the ensign exclaimed, when the conversation between the Chilian and the Frenchman had died down. "We've jumped into a surprising situation here, Matt, if I've got this thing right."
"What is it, Glennie?" asked Matt.
"Well, the Frenchman says that the submarine isn't the boat he thought it was, and that our arrest has been a mistake."
"I'm glad they found that out without putting us to any trouble. Is there another submarine in these waters? And has it been stolen?"
"That's where the surprising part comes in. I'll have to talk with these fellows, and ask them a few questions, before I can get the layout clear in my mind."
French and Spanish had formed a part of Glennie's education at Annapolis; he reeled off both languages now, first at one and then at the other of the two men, asking questions and receiving voluble replies.
In five minutes he had the situation straightened out to his satisfaction, and sat down on one of the stone steps beside Matt.
"The tall man, Matt," said Glennie, "is Captain Pons, of Edouard Lavalle et Cie, shipbuilders, of Havre, France. This firm of Lavalle & Co. are builders of submarines, and they recently finished such a craft for the Chilian navy. The boat was brought over on a tramp freighter, and Captain Pons came along to instruct the Chilian officers and crew in the manner of running the submarine, and also to secure a draft for the purchase price.
"The submarine was unloaded safely, and was provisioned by Captain Pons for a run to Santiago, where she was to be inspected by the secretary of the navy. Captain Pons was not to get his money from the government until the submarine reached Santiago. The Chilian crew was to come over from Coronel yesterday afternoon, but arrived in the morning, a good twelve hours ahead of time. Captain Pons rowed out with them to the submarine, showed the captain of the crew all over the boat and explained the machinery to him; then, quite unexpectedly, so far as Captain Pons was concerned, the crew grabbed the Frenchman, threw him into the rowboat, closed the hatch of the submarine, and dropped into the bottom of the bay."