"You're going to put us ashore?" asked Matt, getting to his feet and stretching his benumbed limbs.
"We're goin' to send you to the surface, and you'll have to attend to gettin' ashore yourselves. Can you swim?"
Matt nodded.
"I can't," said Holcomb.
"Well," went on Jurgens, "I don't want to drown you, but the Grampus can't go to the surface just to let you off. You say you can swim," and he turned to Matt. "You'll come up not far from the wharf, and ten to one you'll find quite a lot of people on the wharf. As soon as they pull you in, you tell them to get out a small boat and lay to in her half a fathom off the end of the pier. That's where the officer will come up, and you can fish him in out of the wet. Now, strip."
"Why am I to do that?" demanded Matt.
"Because you'll be able to swim easier with your clothes off."
"I'll not take them off. If we're still alongside the wharf, I can make it without removing my clothes. How are you going to send me to the surface?"
"Come on and I'll show you. Drop in behind him, Whistler, and hold a gun ready in case he tries any foolishness."