ld ship that
brought us out! I am delighted to have your company."

Sophy looked round for some means of escape, but she was helpless,
being tightly wedged in between two bulwarks--the bulwark of the
_Blankshire_ and Bernhard's solid form--and separated from Mrs. Gregory
by a seething crowd of jubilant Teutons.

"So 'Der Tag' has come at last!" he continued, staring into her face
with arrogant blue eyes; "and we are on the eve of great events. I am
about to join my Brandenburger regiment--every German is a soldier--we
have several hundred reservists on board."

Sophy at last found her voice and murmured: "No doubt!"

"I caught sight of Shafto just now. Why is _he_ going home?"

"To serve his country."

"Ah, bah! Better stick to his pen; it takes two years to make a
soldier; in ten days we shall be in Paris, in a month in London. And
why not? You have no army; we are a nation of fighting men, and you
are a nation of shopkeepers!"

"Of course we are not prepared; we would not listen to Lord Roberts;
and, on the other hand, you have been arming and drilling and
shipbuilding for the last forty years!"

"Ah, well, meine liebe fraeulein, we must spread our borders! Who could
expect the greatest nation in the world to remain cooped up in the
North Sea? We demand and we will have space, power, and the sun. We
understand patriotism and the love of country."

"The love of other people's countries," interposed Sophy sharply. "You
Germans are everywhere--like the sparrows."

"To other nations we bring valuable lessons in industry and Kulture,
prudence, thrift, and energy; other countries are only too fortunate to
receive us. We have brains, bold hearts, and discipline--and know how
to use them. Old Bluecher, who won Waterloo, may yet find his
aspirations fulfilled."

"Ah, you mean the sack and plunder of London?"

He nodded an impressive assent, and then said:

"When I am there I shall call on you, and show you my loot!" As he
spoke he lent towards her, his eyes exultant, his breath heavy with
champagne. Sophy instinctively recoiled and said:

"Pray do not trouble."

Bernhard gave a loud, boisterous laugh.

"It will be 'Missy can't see.' By the way, talking of loot, do you
know that Herr Krauss is dead?"

"Dead!" she repeated. "No; I heard he had gone to Java."

"He has gone to his grave. Last night I was told that his body was
found floating near the landing-stage at Moulmein; there were no