"Does he want to go back with us to Belize? Ask him."
"If he did that, they would probably arrest him for what he has done," said the girl.
She put the question, however, and Pedro shook his head.
"Ask him if he wants us to put him ashore here."
Pedro nodded as soon as Ysabel had translated the words into Spanish.
"Tell him we'll do that before we leave," said Matt, "but that we can't trust him ashore until we are ready to go."
Pedro tried to talk in response to this, and Matt removed the gag for a moment. Turning his face toward Ysabel, Pedro spoke rapidly for a few moments. Ysabel's face became very serious as she listened.
"He says that the _Grampus_ will never be able to leave the river," answered the girl; "that the fort is in the hands of the rebels and that they are planting mines in the river, so close to the bottom that the submarine will strike them if she submerges. If she floats on the surface, then the guns of the fort will sink her."
There was terror in the girl's face as she repeated Pedro's words.
Here was an unlooked-for difficulty, and one that gave Matt the utmost concern.
"Just ask him, Ysabel," said he, "why the rebels planted mines in the river when they knew the submarine was in the hands of their friends? Pedro's story sounds improbable, to me. If it comes to that, we passed the mouth of the river under water, and no one in the fort or the town saw us."
Ysabel talked for a few moments more with Pedro.
"He says," the girl reported finally, "that Don Carlos saw the flag of the rebels flying from the fort by means of the periscope when we ascended the stream; that the don knew there were some submarine mines in Port Livingston, and that he was going to have the soldiers plant them. He was afraid Fingal might try to run away with the _Grampus_, and intended to pen her in the river."
"Then even these revolutionists can't trust each other!" exclaimed Matt. "With such a lack of confidence as that, if it extends to the rank and file, the insurrection will prove a farce. Just----"
At that moment some one landed heavily on the deck of the submarine. Matt straightened erect and stepped to the foot of the ladder. Looking up, he saw Clackett gazing down.
"There are two men comin', Matt!" reported Clackett. "One of 'em's Don Carlos, an' the other wears a red coat with shoulder straps and has a sword."