I felt I could not look at the _Panther_ any longer, and went wandering miserably around the town. It was dark. Three or four sailors came down the street. They were talking and laughing. One of them, a gigantic fellow, spoke in broad Saxon. When I heard my native dialect, I thought to myself: "In the darkness nobody can see how you look. It would be good to talk a few words in Saxon." "Hello, _Landsmann_," I sang out, and I never let myself go so broadly in the Saxon dialect as I did then. He stopped and talked with me. He was a stoker on the _Panther_ and hailed from Zwickau in Saxony. Those fellows made me tell them about my plight. Could they spare me a piece of bread? I asked. "Sure," replied the Saxon. "Meet me at the end of the pier at six bells. I have no more time now. I must go back on board." I was at the end of the pier fifteen minutes ahead of time. The Saxon came off the ship and gave me a great loaf of rye bread. "Come to-morrow at the same time," he said, "and there will be another loaf for you." I did not sleep that night, but passed the hours on the beach eating that bread. I nibbled it in slow bites so that I might not lose any of the delight. The Saxon gave me a loaf of bread every night, and finally said: "To-morrow is Sunday, and on Sunday we have coffee and cakes aboard. Come aboard the _Panther_ at half-past three to-morrow, and have coffee and cakes." "By Joe, mate, can I come aboard a German warship like this?" "Never mind, boy, we'll receive you." And he persuaded me to do what I wanted to do more than anything else. When the sun rose the next morning, I started to make my toilet. The beach was my dressing room. The ocean was both mirror and wash basin. I scrubbed my hands and face with sand and water. I ran my fingers through my hair and beard, trying to comb them. I tried to smoothe the wrinkles out of my coat and trousers. I tucked the coal bag around my leg and foot fifty times, to make it look its best. I sneaked on board like a criminal. The sailors gave me a good reception. Everybody sat on benches, and had coffee and cake. There was a cannon under a tarpaulin. I tried to get a glimpse of it. I was bashful and ill at ease. I felt as though I was among rich people in a mansion. The young officer of the watch passed and saw me. The sailors jumped up, and stood at attention. I stood up, putting the foot with the coal sack behind the other one to hide it. The officer called the boatswain. "In the future," he said, "I want you to see that no such tramps get aboard. Throw this unspeakable creature off. "Get out of here," yelled the boatswain. I slunk across the deck to the gangplank like a beaten dog. I had seen this beautiful ship. I had seen a German warship for the first time. Poor castaway that I was, the sailors had welcomed me aboard. Holy feelings had been aroused in me. And now... I heard the sailors mutter. One of them said quietly to me: