ng a load in the hold near the
bow, when a peculiar noise was heard, resembling a scraping, rasping
sound. Before they had time to turn around, or move from their
positions, the rear end of the submarine seemed to swing upward,
bringing down and scattering among the machinery a choice lot of boxes
and parcels.

A groan followed. Something peculiar had happened,--a thing unique in
the annals of submarining. The vessel, after the peculiar motion, was
quiet, but it was lying at an angle of forty-five degrees. The seamen
and the captain hurriedly tried to move back in order to discover what
had happened and from whom the groans proceeded.

It was hard work, and dangerous, too. Alfred was found pinned between
the tanks, and temporarily held by several cases, but, fortunately, he
was not hurt in the least.

Directly forward of the conning tower stairway the captain now noticed
an object, and upon examination it was found to be the lieutenant, who
had been thrown a distance of more than thirty feet through the tangled
machinery. He was unconscious.

The physician was soon by his side, and a frightful gash was observed on
the right side of the officer's face. Two men nearby were groaning. One
had a broken leg, and the other several contusions about the head, and,
owing to their crippled condition, it was just as much of a task to
lower the bodies down into the inclined hold as to walk upward.

This was finally accomplished, and the lieutenant, with the two injured
men, were landed in the long compartment, which served as the dining
room.

The sub-lieutenant was found pinned by some boxes between two
stanchions, which had not been distributed and placed within the
compartments. The seaman soon released him; he was not injured in any
way, and now that the lieutenant was in a serious condition, the command
devolved on him.

"That motion, if anything, will disentangle us from the nets," said the
captain, addressing the sub-lieutenant. The latter did not reply, but
turned on the captain with a frown.

"Your opinion is not requested!" he said in a terse manner.

The captain made a quiet bow and moved toward their small room, the boys
following.

"I am sorry that fellow is in command," said Alfred. "I never liked him
from the first."

"I'll bet we were locked up by that fellow's orders, for I don't believe
the lieutenant had anything to do with it," remarked Ralph. The captain
nodded his head, as he replied: "I knew tha