chmann jumped in his chair.

"He says that!" he gasped. "But that is impossible--he is lying!"

"Perhaps you would wish to interrogate him?" Hausmann suggested.

Pachmann nodded mutely, and the Captain touched a bell.

"Send Schroeder here," he said to the man who answered.

The man saluted and closed the door again, and the Captain and his
visitor sat looking at each other in silence. Both were disturbed; but
Pachmann was by far the more dismayed of the two. To his companion, it
was merely a fracture of the discipline of his ship; but to Pachmann it
was the end of the world! Try as he might to maintain his
self-composure, he could not stop the nervous trembling of his hands;
and from time to time he moistened his lips and swallowed with great
effort. He felt himself stricken to the heart; he scarcely dared permit
himself to think what it meant for him, for his King, for Germany, if
this man spoke the truth.

And then the door opened and the man himself entered--a typical German
sailor, with bronzed countenance, and short curly brown beard, and
honest blue eyes--not too intelligent, but faithful, strong and
dependable. Yes, and honest--one could see that. He was barefooted and
clad in a suit of duck, which had been white originally but was now much
soiled. About his head was a bandage. He saluted and stood at attention,
while Pachmann looked him over.

"Tell us what occurred last night," the Captain ordered. "Think
carefully and omit nothing."

"There is not much to tell, sir," the man replied. "You yourself gave me
my orders. I was to stand out there, before the door, and prevent any
one knocking. To all who asked for you, I was to say that you were on
the bridge."

The Captain nodded.

"That is right," he said. "Continue."

"You then went up to the bridge, and I took the station you had assigned
me. I did not know who was in the cabin, but I could hear voices."

"Ah! cried Pachmann, with a frown. "You could hear voices! Could you
also hear words?"

"I do not know, sir; I did not listen. I know better than to listen when
officers are talking."

"Continue," said the Captain again.

"I stood there for perhaps ten minutes. There were a few passengers
strolling about farther down the deck, but you had caused a rope to be
stretched across to prevent any one coming as far as your cabin."

Again the Captain nodded.

"Yes, I took that precaution, also," he said.

"Then," concluded Schroeder, "something s