The next thing Eric knew, a big rough tongue was licking his face.

“GERTRUDE!” he exclaimed, waking up with a start.

The gorilla held on to Sid with one hand and put the other on her heart to tell the boy how much she loved him.

Eric smiled and did the same.

“Where’s the captain?” asked the boy, seeing that the air tank was floating by his side.

The gorilla cocked her head, trying to understand.

Thinking fast, the boy mimed the captain’s peaked cap.

Gertrude pointed downwards.

No! thought Eric. Speer is going to push that red button and we’re all going to die!

BASH!

The U-boat lurched violently as the bow struck the riverbed.

CRANK!

Eric grabbed on to the air tank. Could it somehow be used to propel them all the way up to the surface of the Thames?

There was no way a gorilla could swim it.

Sid was still knocked out cold and Eric couldn’t leave him or Gertrude to a watery grave.

The boy heaved the old man into place astride the air tank. Then he mimed for Gertrude to hold on to Sid. Eric then climbed on to the back of the tank.

“LET’S GET OUT OF HERE!” said the boy, pointing the tank towards the hatch of the U-boat.

Just as he was about to turn the nozzle to let the air shoot out,

DISASTER
      STRUCK!

The Braun twins had swum up through the U-boat.

“We all die together!” sputtered Bertha.

“For the love of the Führer!” added Helene.

Each sister grabbed hold of one of Sid’s ankles to stop them from escaping. There was no time to fight them off, so Eric spun the nozzle…

SPLURT!

Sid’s false legs came off in their hands.

PLOP! PLOP!

Those old tin legs of his had come in handy, after all!

As the twins were left behind in the U-boat, clutching on to Sid’s legs, shouting…

“NEIN!”

…our three heroes shot through the hatch.

SWOOSH!