"I give it up. They must have taken me for one of the rebels--possibly they thought I was General Pitou."
"They couldn't have thought that," answered Matt. "The general is only about half your size."
"Clackett told you why I got out through the torpedo tube?"
"Yes. But how did you ever do it without being seen by Fingal and his men?"
"I was shot along upstream, and straight into the bank. Fingal was sitting on the deck at the time, and the sudden heave of the forward end of the boat drew his attention, but he didn't see me. As soon as I could I got up the bank, but the compressed air had made me dizzy and I was obliged to rest before I could travel. After I got started I found that I couldn't go fast on account of my bare feet. I must have been about a mile away before I saw any soldiers. There was a straggling column of them, and they appeared to be the vanguard of an advancing army. They were Mendez's men, and I was pleased a lot, because I was sure I could get them to go back with me and help recapture the submarine.
"When I started toward them, though, they began to shoot and to run toward me. I couldn't stop and explain, for I wasn't at all sure that my explanation would be accepted. So all I could do was turn and see how quick I could get back over the ground. That's about all, Matt. But how did you get clear? It was a surprise to see you on the boat. I was expecting to be met by Fingal and his gang."
"That's too much to tell just now, Gaines. We're all free, however, and all together once more. We have been waiting for you."
"Yes; and one of Fingal's men, and another who is more a friend of Ysabel Sixty's than he is of Fingal's."
"She was one of those we took out of that yawl. We all thought she was a boy until she told us who she was. We owe our escape to her."
While sitting on the deck, Gaines had been slowly recovering his strength. He was still muttering dazedly over Matt's amazing disclosures, when Speake showed himself at the hatch.
"You fellows better come below!" he called. "Dick said you wanted the boat submerged, Matt, an' I guess that the quicker we do it the better. There's an outfit of black soldiers, dead ahead, waiting for us."
Matt whirled around and allowed his eyes to follow the direction of Speake's pointing finger.