"Meppy he iss," struck in Carl, glaring at the leader of the rascally Chilians, "aber ve're tedermined anodder vay."
"We won't do anything of that kind, Glennie," said Matt, "for the chances are we'd have trouble with that mysterious steamer. I wonder," he added, as a startling thought flashed through his mind, "if the Sons of the Rising Sun had anything to do with this?"
Glennie shook his head.
"It can't be possible," he answered. "From the little I have overheard passing between the Chilians, I believe that they are convicts. There's a penal settlement at Punta Arenas, and I feel sure the rascals escaped from there. That was a tall yarn they gave us—but they had to explain their situation on the bottom of that boat and to do it without exciting our suspicions."
"Well, ask the leader how he expects to get the Grampus to the River Plate."
Glennie put the question.
"He says," the ensign went on, "that he intends to have you and one other run the boat."
"Ah!" exclaimed Matt. "Unless we run the boat they won't be able to carry out their plans. I believe I see a chance here to do something. We can at least take the boat to the surface—and when we get her there we'll not sink her again. If we're on the surface, we may have a chance to communicate with some vessel passing through the strait. Tell him, Glennie, that there will have to be three of us given our liberty, one to run the engine, one to run the tanks, and another to steer. I think that Dick, you, and I are the ones. You can steer and Dick will look after the tanks. Perhaps the three of us can get the better of these scoundrels."
"It's my chob to look afder der tanks," put in Carl. "Vy nod led me haf a handt in der scrimmage? I vould like, pedder as I can tell, to haf some mix-oops mit der sgoundrels."
Matt, however, did not change his plans. Carl was a good man in a set-to, if there should be one, but he was apt to lose his head.