"Swim!"
Splash! The ensign was in the water. Then there were two more splashes as Matt and Dick followed.
[CHAPTER XIII.]
A DIVE FOR LIBERTY.
Carl fell over the top of the conning tower, descended the rounded deck with one hand clinging to a wire guy, and reached out over the water.
"Schust a leedle vay farder, bard!" he cried encouragingly. "Shvim a leedle fasder! Der fellers on shore iss pooty glose!"
Glennie was first to clasp Carl's outstretched hand, and, with its assistance, to reach the deck; then Glennie, dripping wet, laid hold of another guy and bent down to give a hand to Matt. Carl assisted Dick up the sloping deck at the same time.
By then the soldiers were almost upon the wharf. Sudden flares lit the night, and each flare meant the explosion of a gun.
"Quick!" cried Matt, "get below. We're in the right, but those fellows don't know it yet."