He had almost reached it, when he found himself suddenly confronted by two dark figures. Without a word he laid Lord Hastings gently upon the ground and hurled himself upon the men before him. With two smashing blows--a left and a right--he laid two of them low before they could recover from their surprise, and as a third man, with a cry of rage, dashed upon him with upraised arm, Jack caught him by the wrist. He gave a violent twist, there was a snap and a sharp cry of pain, and a knife fell to the ground. Jack planted his other fist squarely in the man's face, and even as the latter tumbled to the ground, the lad stooped over Lord Hastings and in another moment was running along the bank with him. "You can't do it, Jack," gasped Lord Hastings, as the lad ran on. "Keep still," ordered Jack. "I'll get you back aboard or break a leg." Lord Hastings subsided. Now Jack reached the point where the submarine lay only a few yards off shore. "Drop into the water," he commanded Lord Hastings. "But I can't swim with this arm," the latter protested. "You do as I say," ordered Jack. "I'll get you before you go down." Without further words, Lord Hastings obeyed, and as he disappeared from sight in the water Jack leaped lightly in after him. His hand touched his commander's collar before the latter had struck bottom, and coming to the surface, he supported Lord Hastings with one arm while with the other he struck out for the submarine. Frank, upon the bridge peering intently into the night, had heard the sounds of confusion, but strain his eyes as he would, he did not make out the two forms in the water until Jack's voice, sounding almost in his ear, startled him. "Lend a hand here, quick, Frank," came his friend's voice. Quickly Frank leaped to obey. Leaning over he held on to his commander while Jack scrambled aboard, and then both assisted their commander over the side, as gently as possible, so as to avoid straining his wound. "Are you badly hurt, sir?" asked Frank, when Lord Hastings lay panting on the bridge. "I don't know," came the faint reply. "But I have a nasty stab in the shoulder." "We'll soon have that fixed up," said Jack cheerfully. "Help me carry him down, Frank." With Lord Hastings stretched out in his bed, Jack ordered Frank to see about getting the submarine away from the dangerous location, while he tended to Lord Hastings' wounds. "You'll have to hurry," he exclaimed. "They know we are around here some place, and they'll be after us like a pack of wolves." Frank hurried back upon the bridge, to gain his bearings. As he emerged, a hand clutched him by the throat. In vain did the lad attempt to cry out. He struck blindly at his unseen opponent, who had grabbed him from behind. Frank threw himself to the deck, and the man who had swam aboard the submarine fell on top of him. Taken at a disadvantage for a moment by Frank's ruse, his hold upon the lad's throat loosened.