"Where are we?" were Matt's first words.
"In the Pom, matey," was Dick's grim response.
"Ve can't ged oudt, eider, Matt," croaked Carl gloomily, "und der Chaps can't ged in. Vich vould you radder be, der Chaps or us?"
Matt sat up, rubbing his head.
"I remember now," he murmured. "The tow line broke, and the Pom end of it sprang back and hit me on the forehead. You brought me below?"
"I couldn't think of anything else to do, matey," said Dick. "We were surrounded by six Japs, and I thought it better to take our chances inside. We got below and closed the hatch just in time. Listen! You can hear the Japs walking around on deck. If you get up in the tower you can see them looking in at the lunettes! But it's not pleasant. The straightened eyes of those swabs are pretty savage. I wouldn't give tuppence for our chances if they could get at us. And they may find out a way to come in here. If you can think of anything to do that will help us out of this hole, Matt, please be in a hurry about it."
"Yah," put in Carl, "don'd vaste any time."
"Where's the Grampus?" asked Matt.
His head bothered him, but there was no time to think of physical troubles of that sort.
"I told Glennie to keep her away. There wasn't anything he could do by running close, anyhow. The Japs would have boarded the Grampus, if he had come too close, and there would be only four on our boat to stand off the six Japs."