“I think I understand,” he said. “You do not quite trust me. You fear that I may be a spy in the pay of infamous Englishmen. But you are mistaken--entirely mistaken. I offer you proof of my good faith. General, be so kind as to read my commission.” He drew a folded document from his pocket, and spread it out before Lord Dunseverick. “It is signed,” he said, “as you see, by the Emperor himself. It places my services, the services of Captain von Edelstein, of the Prussian Guard, at the disposal of the Ulster Volunteer Force, as military organiser.” Lord Dunseverick glanced at the document before him. He read parts of it with close attention. He laid his finger on the signature as if to convince himself by actual touch that it really was what it seemed to be. “You see,” said Von Edelstein, “I am to be trusted. When you and I are fighting side by side against the cursed English, your enemies and ours----” Von Edelstein was still smiling. What happened then happened in an instant. Lord Dunseverick struck the German full on the mouth with his fist. Von Edelstein’s head went back. His hands clutched convulsively at the tablecloth. Before he had recovered, Lord Dunseverick hit him again, beat him down on the cabin sofa, and struck blow after blow at his face. “You infernal scoundrel,” he said, “do you take me for a traitor?” “Quit it,” said McMunn. “Quit it when I tell you. You cannot kill the man with your naked fists, and you’ll break the furniture.” Ginty drew a long coil of rope from a locker. He tied up Von Edelstein and laid him, a helpless figure, on the table. “It’s my opinion,” said McMunn, “that we’d better be getting out to sea.” “I’m thinking the same,” said Ginty. He went on deck. Soon _The McMunn Brothers_ was under way. Lord Dunseverick looked at the prostrate Von Edelstein. “What are we going to do with him?” he asked. “Drown him,” said McMunn. A trickle of blood was running down Von Edelstein’s chin. He spat out some fragments of broken teeth. “It appears,” he said, “that I have made a mistake about your intentions.” “You’ve offered an outrageous insult to loyal men,” said McMunn. “A mistake,” said Von Edelstein, “but surely excusable. I have in my pocket at the present moment--would you be so kind as to feel in my breast pocket? You’ll find some papers there, and a newspaper cutting among them.” Lord Dunseverick slipped his hand into the prisoner’s pocket. He drew out a number of letters and a newspaper cutting. It was a report, taken from the _Belfast News Letter_, of the speech which he had made at Ballymena a fortnight before. He had proclaimed the Kaiser the deliverer of Ulster. His own words stared him in the face. McMunn took the cutting and glanced at it. He thumped his fist on the table. “I stand by every word of it,” he said. “We will not have Home Rule.” “You are a curious people,” said Von Edelstein. “I thought--and even now you say----”