But here, just as victory was all but ranged on the side of the motor boys, the unexpected happened.
Perhaps Glennie was to blame. It would have been better if he had slowed the Grampus down almost to a stop and then picked up the strain on the tow line with a steady pull.
It was useless, however, to find fault with anybody. The thing happened, and that was all there was to it.
The tow line snapped. One end of it jerked back and caught Matt a tremendous blow on the temple, and he dropped as though from the impact of a heavy fist.
A howl of consternation broke from Carl.
"Id's all oop mit us!" he shouted. "Der rope iss pusted in der mittle, Matt is down, und der Chaps iss all aroundt us!"
Carl's quick eyes had sized up the situation correctly. The four Japs who had crossed the ridge from the other cove had reached the water and were swimming to the Pom. The two who had been forced overboard by Matt and his chums were paddling about and making frantic efforts to regain the deck.
Dick had not much time to think of what they should do. With Matt down, could he and Carl successfully beat off the six yellow men?
Dick flung a despairing glance after the Grampus. Glennie, wild with anxiety over the outcome of what seemed a certain fiasco, was ringing all kinds of signals in the motor room, and, for once in his life, seemed completely "rattled" and at a loss as to what move he should make.