"I found a box of ammunition also," continued Ralph, "but I haven't tried whether it would fit the revolvers." An examination revealed the fact that the cartridges were not of the same calibre. It was, indeed, a terrible disappointment. "Here it is," said Alfred, as he slipped into the door of the room. "Ah, this is a different size; you have the right ones, fortunately," said the captain. "Now, let me give you a few words as to the next,----" A pronounced lurch in the vessel's position interrupted the captain. The seamen were now rushing around frantically, and talking excitedly. "Hold your tongues!" shouted the sub-lieutenant. The vessel was, evidently, moving. Occasionally, there would be a heavy, rasping sound, and the rear end of the boat would seem to settle down a few feet. "It's coming all right," said Ralph in excitement. "Connect forward motor!" again shouted the sub-lieutenant. The motor turned smoothly without producing a disturbing influence on the ship, indicating that the propeller was still in the air. "I fear that the sub-lieutenant does not know his business any too well," remarked the captain. CHAPTER VIII THE NIGHT'S STRUGGLE TO FREE THE VESSEL The boys wondered at the remark which the captain had made, and were about to ask him for an explanation, when the electric lights suddenly died out, and all were left in total darkness. The captain crawled past the boys and felt his way toward the stern of the vessel. "The storage batteries!" was all he said. That there was confusion on the part of the crew of the vessel, was apparent, for the sub-lieutenant shouted one order after the other, until he seemed to be incoherent, and, as a result, no one knew what was expected of him or what to do. Evidently, the captain knew the trouble and how to remedy it, for within a minute the lights were again in commission, and the captain was noticed at the main switch. From that point he shouted to the sub-lieutenant: "I found a box on the switchboard. It had slipped down and thrown out the switch bar at the time the boat made the last lurch." "Thank you for the service," said the sub-lieutenant, to the surprise of the captain and boys. As the captain returned to their room he remarked: "The sub-lieutenant was very polite; probably he would not be so likely to thank me for some other things I have done." "What! since you left us two minutes ago?" asked Ralph. The captain nodded. "But I started to say a few minutes ago," he continued, "that we ought to have our work planned out ahead and thoroughly understand each other. There is one thing I must impress on you, and that is, we must not again be locked up in this room. I have no faith in the present commander, and would be very much mistaken if he permits us to have our freedom after we once get free of the nets." "What must be done if he again orders us locked up?" asked Alfred.