“Well, no, it won’t do that,” replied Captain Griswold, “but it’ll put ’em to sleep long enough for you fellows to go down and tie ’em up.”

“Bring on the gas, Captain,” said Jack quietly.

Captain Griswold hustled back to his boat with the agility of a small school boy.

“Back to the ship,” he roared to the sailors who rowed him.

He mounted the ladder swiftly and summoned his first officer.

“Helgoson,” he said, “those Britishers have gone and almost captured that submarine.  It’s up to us to help ’em complete the job.”

“How, sir?” asked the first officer.

“Do you know where that gas tank is below?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Fetch it here.  It’s small enough so you can carry it.  Also get the hose and the pump.”

“Yes, sir.”

The first officer hurried away.  He was back in a few moments with the necessary articles, which Captain Griswold took charge of himself.

“Helgoson,” said Captain Griswold, “if you were a younger man I would invite you to take a hand in this party yourself.  As it is, you’ll have to stick behind with the passengers.”

“But I’m younger than you by almost twenty years, sir,” protested the first officer.

“Oh, no you’re not,” laughed the commander of the Ventura, “you just think you are.  I’ve grown twenty years younger this day.”

He summoned a pair of sailors, whom he loaded down with the gas, hose and pump with instructions to place them carefully in the small boat.

“And now for the submarine,” he confided to his first officer.

On deck, half a dozen passengers approached the captain with inquiries as to what was going on.

“Why,” he said with a grin, “we’re just going to capture a submarine, that’s all.  Stick close to the side of the ship and you’ll see how it’s done.  A lesson like this may come in handy some day.”

The passengers protested.

“But the danger—­” one began.

“Danger be hanged,” said the captain.  “There is no danger.  While there was danger we were scuttling for the safety of land and now we come back when it’s all over.  You should all be glad of this opportunity to render your country a service.  What sort of citizens are you, anyhow?”

Without further words he climbed down to the launch and was hustled back to the submarine, where Jack and the others were awaiting him eagerly.

“Well,” said Captain Griswold, motioning to the articles that the sailors laid on the deck, “here’s the stuff.  Get busy.”

“How do you work it, Captain?” asked Jack.

“Don’t you know?” demanded Captain Griswold.  “Well, I’ll tell you what.  You just put me in command here for fifteen minutes and I’ll do the job for you.”

“All right, sir,” said Jack.  “Your commands shall be obeyed.”

Captain Griswold turned to the nearest sailor.

“Take that hose and attach it to the nozzle on the tank,” he directed.  The sailor did so.