can't get loose again, either," he added.

"Don't you believe it!" scorned Jimmie. "If it was a fisherman had hold
of us, we'd be yanked around pretty lively. I think it is that rope we
saw hanging in front of the port light!"

"I believe you're right, Jimmie!" Ned put in as he gazed through the
heavy glass on the port side. "I can see that we're swinging close to the
mainmast. There is no motion to the boat, so that makes me think your
solution is about right. Now to get loose!"

"Yes, I agree with you!" stated Harry. "But how? If your assumption is
correct, we've got a big piece of line wound around the outboard end of
the shaft. It is probably more or less tangled up in the propeller also.
We can't turn the engines over!"

"Maybe we could throw out the clutch and turn the shaft backwards enough
to unwind the line!" suggested Frank.

"I'm in favor of rising to the surface if the slack of line will permit,"
offered Jack. "We could then open the hatchway. It would be easy enough
from there to clear the line from the screw."

"That's probably the best way out of it," commented Ned. "Suppose we try
that. Harry, can we rise as Jack suggests?"

"I don't know," came Harry's hesitating reply. "I'll try!"

Accordingly the boy clambered from his position near the forward bulkhead
to the compartment amidships, where the pumps were located. A shift of
valves followed by a touch on the levers connecting the storage batteries
with the electric pumps started the process of emptying the ballast
tanks.

Almost instantly the forward end of the craft began to rise. Very shortly
the deck was in a level position. Then, as Harry continued to empty the
water ballast, Frank and Ned, assisted by Jimmie and Jack, threw the
clutch on the propeller shaft out of contact in order to permit the tail
shaft to turn without moving the engines.

They then endeavored to turn the portion of the shaft which projected
through the stern bearing in the back up motion to free the propeller.
They hoped thus to release the rope which they believed to be wound
around the outboard portion of the shaft.

Strive as they might, however, the shaft stubbornly refused to move.
Their utmost efforts were unavailing.

At length, out of breath and exhausted, Ned sank back upon a locker. He
looked at his companions with a curious expression.

"What's the matter, Ned?" inquired Jack anxiously. "Are you ill?"

"I feel badly, boys," replied Ned. "Unless we can