Dick bent over and gave Carl a hand. Just at that moment the boat leaped forward under the sudden pull of the _Grampus_.
But here, just as victory was all but ranged on the side of the motor boys, the unexpected happened.
Perhaps Glennie was to blame. It would have been better if he had slowed the _Grampus_ down almost to a stop and then picked up the strain on the tow line with a steady pull.
It was useless, however, to find fault with anybody. The thing happened, and that was all there was to it.
The tow line snapped. One end of it jerked back and caught Matt a tremendous blow on the temple, and he dropped as though from the impact of a heavy fist.
"Id's all oop mit us!" he shouted. "Der rope iss pusted in der mittle, Matt is down, und der Chaps iss all aroundt us!"
Carl's quick eyes had sized up the situation correctly. The four Japs who had crossed the ridge from the other cove had reached the water and were swimming to the _Pom_. The two who had been forced overboard by Matt and his chums were paddling about and making frantic efforts to regain the deck.
Dick had not much time to think of what they should do. With Matt down, could he and Carl successfully beat off the six yellow men?
Dick flung a despairing glance after the _Grampus_. Glennie, wild with anxiety over the outcome of what seemed a certain _fiasco_, was ringing all kinds of signals in the motor room, and, for once in his life, seemed completely "rattled" and at a loss as to what move he should make.
At that moment an idea darted into Dick's brain.
"Keep away, Glennie!" Dick yelled, waving his hands. "Sheer off to a good distance, and wait! Carl," and he whirled on the Dutch boy with fierce determination, "we'll take Matt below. We can close ourselves inside the steel shell and the Japs won't be able to get at us."
"Meppy dere's more Chaps in der poat!" demurred Carl.
"No!" thundered Dick. "Do you suppose they'd stay below while this scrimmage was going on over their heads? Down the hatch with you, and take Matt as I lower him!"
Carl saw that there was nothing else for it, and made haste to carry out his orders. The floor was less than five feet under the deck, and Carl was able to stand erect and take Matt in his arms as Dick let him down. The Japs were gaining the deck from all sides as Dick followed, and the hatch cover was banged shut and made fast just in the nick of time.