at I think it implies," Dick answered
with some heat.

"Just so. I do not doubt your honesty, but it is difficult to follow your
arguments."

"It oughtn't to be difficult. You have heard that the French liner was
sunk by a black-funnel boat."

"Black funnels are common. Why do you imagine the vessel you saw was an
auxiliary cruiser?"

"Because her crew looked like navy men. They were unusually numerous and
were busy at drill."

"Boat or fire drill probably. They often exercise them at it on board
passenger ships. Besides, I think you stated that it was dark."

Dick pondered for a few moments. He had heard that Government officials
were hard to move, and knew that, in hot countries, Englishmen who marry
native wives sometimes grow apathetic and succumb to the climatic
lethargy. But this was not all: he had to contend against the official
dislike of anything informal and unusual. Had he been in the navy, his
warning would have received attention, but as he was a humble civilian he
had, so to speak, no business to know anything about such matters.

"Well," he said, "you can make inquiries and see if my conclusions are
right."

The Vice-Consul smiled. "That is not so. You can pry into the coaling
company's affairs and, if you are caught, it would be looked upon as an
individual impertinence. If I did anything of the kind, it would reflect
upon the Foreign Office and compromise our relations with a friendly
state. The Adexe wharf is registered according to the laws of this
country as being owned by a native company."

"Then go to the authorities and tell them what you know."

"The difficulty is that I know nothing except that you have told me a
somewhat improbable tale."

"But you surely don't mean to let the raider do what she likes? Her next
victim may be a British vessel."

"I imagine the British admiralty will attend to that, and I have already
sent a cablegram announcing the loss of the French boat."

Dick saw that he was doubted and feared that argument would be useless,
but he would not give in.

"A raider must have coal and it's not easy to get upon this coast," he
resumed. "You could render her harmless by cutting off supplies."

"Do you know much about international law and how far it prohibits a
neutral country from selling coal to a belligerent?"

"I don't know anything about it; but if our Foreign Office is any good,
they ought to be able to stop the thing," Dick answered doggedly.

"Then l