Minutes passed without bringing the usual swish of water filling the ballast tanks. Through the periscope Matt could see that the Japs were lowering a boat. Speake had come down into the periscope room, closing the hatch behind him in preparation for a dive. He stood with his hand on the wheel and looking over Matt's shoulder.
"What's the matter, Clackett?" called Matt.
"The intake valves won't work!" came back the disgusted voice of Clackett.
Matt ran down to give his personal attention to the matter. For a few minutes he struggled with the valves, but all to no purpose.
"I'll get at the bottom of this trouble," declared Matt, "if it takes a leg."
"I told you something else would happen," called Gaines from the motor room. "That's what it is—tank trouble."
"And just when we need the tanks," said Matt. "That Jap boat is close by, and we ought to be under the surface."
Matt, seeing a way whereby he thought the valve trouble might be remedied, was just beginning a new line of attack when Glennie called frantically through the tube:
"Do something, Matt! One boat is on its way to us from the steamer, and another is dropped into the water. If you can't do anything down there, then come up here."
Matt turned to Dick, explained to him what his new idea was regarding the valve trouble, asked him to work along that line, and then hurried up to the periscope room.