"Spanish!" exclaimed Glennie. "They're not overlooking many details, those Japs. They want to know what boat this is, Matt."
"Just as if they didn't know!" muttered Matt. "Tell them, Glennie. Then ask them what boat they're from."
Glennie followed his orders, receiving some more Spanish talk from the officer.
"He says," reported Glennie, "that he's Captain Sandoval, of the Chilian war ship Salvadore, and, he says further, that he has been requested by his government to meet us at the Pacific end of the strait and give us safe conduct to Valparaiso."
"Talk about nerve!" murmured Matt. "We've seen Sandoval, and Sandoval's ship, the Salvadore, and we know what sort of a bold game our friends, the Japs, are playing. Ask him how he knew we were coming through the strait."
"He replies," pursued Glennie, "that our government communicated with his, and requested that a Chilian gunboat protect the Grampus from Jap miscreants known as Sons of the Rising Sun."
"Continued displays of nerve," murmured Matt, "and of the monumental order. Tell him we don't want his safe conduct, and to sheer away from us."
The first boat was almost upon the submarine. Glennie repeated Matt's order.
"The officer insists on coming aboard," said the ensign.
"Just tell him we know he's a Jap, and that we left the Salvadore and Captain Sandoval at Punta Arenas."