"I understand now," said Alfred. "You think we are still floating, but do you think we are on the surface?"
"We are, undoubtedly, submerged, for it is evident that the smooth motion of the propeller comes from the electric motors and not from the internal combustion engines, which are used solely while running on the surface," remarked the captain.
After hours more of interminable waiting, they heard a noise close at hand. With something like a snap the door opened and a flood of light streamed into their compartment from the electric bulbs without, and, looking up, they saw, at the ceiling of their room, a small electric bulb.
"Why is it we didn't hunt for that?" whispered Ralph, looking up.
"But I can't see any way to turn it on," said Alfred.
"That lights only from the outside," said the attendant. "Here is something to eat," he continued in English.
They had been in that cramped prison pen five hours.
"Did you torpedo another ship?" queried the captain.
"We tried to; but a torpedo boat destroyer came up too close," he answered.
"How many shots did it fire?" asked Ralph.
"Two hours," answered the man. "As I came down the report from the periscope showed a clear sea, and we are now about to resume surface travel and repair one of the periscopes."
The boys glanced at each other and at the captain.
"Yes," remarked the captain, "that was a pretty close call."
The attendant left them without closing the door, and as the prisoners glanced about, nothing was to be seen of the stairway which led to the conning tower. Men were noticed at work, each being stationed at some particular machine or set of machinery. Then, with a bang, something like a trap door swung aside and the stairway was revealed, and a peculiar light streamed in through the hatch opening.
"I never thought we'd see that again," said Alfred, almost overcome.
"May we walk around?" asked the captain, as he approached an under officer.
"There isn't much chance for exercising here," was the reply, "but I think you will be given top liberty after awhile," replied the man.
"Will they let us go?" asked Ralph eagerly.
"No; he didn't say that; he meant they would give us liberty to walk on the top deck for a short time," replied the captain.