A movement behind Matt caused him to look around. Cassidy had descended quietly from the conning tower and was steering the ship entirely by the periscope.
"We are off Belize, sir," announced Cassidy, "and two small sailboats are coming this way. We are to anchor at the surface, I suppose?"
Matt did not know how long the mate had been in the periscope room, but supposed he had been there long enough to overhear the instructions.
"Certainly," said the captain.
Cassidy touched a jingler connected with the engine room. The hum of the motor slowly ceased.
"Get out an anchor fore-and-aft, Speake," the mate called through one of the speaking tubes.
"Aye, aye, sir," came the response through the tube.
A little later a muffled rattling could be heard as a chain was paid out through the patent water-tight hawse hole. Presently the rattling stopped, and the Grampus shivered and swung to her scope of cable. More rattling came from the stern, and soon two anchors were holding the submarine steady in her berth.
"I want you to go ashore, Matt," said Captain Nemo, Jr., "and see the American consul. Find a place where I can be taken care of; also, show that letter to the consul and tell him you are my representative. Better take Dick with you."