On board the _Shatter_ weighty consultations seemed to be the order of the day, for it was nearly a quarter of an hour longer before she found courage, after cruising round us yet once more, to come alongside at about twenty yards distance. Then I saw a uniformed figure with megaphone in hand preparing to begin a conversation with my officer of the watch. This was apparently the commanding officer of the proud warship. I inferred this from the fact that he ordered several of his men, armed with rifles and pistols, to take up their posts near him, in order, no doubt, to season the conversation, if need be, with a little peppering of shot. This rather reassured me; especially when I took a second look at the 'commanding officer.' An undersized, stocky figure, with a typical whisky-drinker's face, the colour of which was scarcely distinguishable from the red scarf which he wore round his neck. I had at once the feeling that things were going to be rather amusing. And so, in fact, it turned out. FOOTNOTES: [12] As this phrase is not self-explanatory--like cross-bearings from _two_ points ashore--some readers may like to be reminded of the elementary geometry involved in the method here referred to of determining a position by the aid of a single known point. Having got his four-point (45°) bearing, he would proceed on the same course till he got an eight-point (90°) bearing. In a right-angled triangle, of which one of the other angles is 45°, the remaining angle is also 45°. The sides opposite these equal angles are also equal. That is to say, the distance from the rock (which is what he wants to know) is equal to the distance run between the times of taking the two bearings (which he can determine by log-speed and allowances for current, etc.). [13] A message of Count Bernstorff's, quoted in the _Times_ of 25th May, 1918, mentions that there were numerous private wireless receiving stations in Ireland. The German news reports, sent out to all the world by the great Nauen station, would be easy to pick up, and amid a long succession of news items a cleverly chosen code word--meaning by pre-arrangement, 'Expedition started,' or the like--would easily escape notice, except from those who were on the look-out for it. [14] This name does not appear in the list of auxiliary craft in the Navy List for April, 1916. CHAPTER XVIII UNWELCOME GUESTS The following interesting dialogue, which was conducted in English, now took place between the captain of the _Shatter_ and my mate. 'Where are you from?' No answer. 'Hallo! Where are you from?' Again no answer. 'Goddam! I asked you where are you from.' Düsselmann at last took the trouble to answer, and shouted across in a loud voice, 'Good-morning.' 'Hell and damnation,' shouted the English captain. 'I don't want your civilities. I want to know where you come from.' 'Then, first of all, would you mind telling me who you are?' answered the mate calmly.