"Within one hour, unless the _Pelikan_ is surrendered in her present state, without further damage to her stores, equipment, and hull, we open fire," was the British officer's mandate. "Return to your ship at once, Herr Leutnant, and inform Kapitan von Riesser that he must take immediate steps to safeguard his British prisoners, either by sending them down the river or else by placing them in a secure shelter on shore. I shall hold your kapitan and officers morally responsible for any of the _Myra's_ crew who may be killed or injured in the forthcoming operations." "You have yet to find the _Pelikan_," spluttered the German officer. "Excuse me, sir, she is found," said Captain Holloway. "To show that I am not in the habit of speaking at random I will produce proofs." He gave an order to a seaman, who doubled off to the quarter-deck companion-ladder. Presently Denbigh, O'Hara, and Armstrong, who during the interview had discreetly gone below, appeared on deck. The ober-leutnant's jaw dropped. His podgy cheeks quivered with intense surprise. "Donnerwetter!" he exclaimed. "This is a colossal shock." With an effort he pulled himself together, clicked his heels and saluted the British senior officer. Then fumbling in his breast pocket he produced a document and handed it to the captain. It was a formal surrender. In it Kapitan von Riesser agreed to hand over the _Pelikan_ at the hour of nine on the following morning. "Very good," said Captain Holloway. "We are willing to give you a few hours' respite, but you are to clearly understand that nothing must be done in that interval that will affect the _Pelikan_ from a military point of view. You must also send the _Myra's_ men down by boat before sunset." "To that I agree," replied von Langer, and stiffly refusing the invitation to have a glass of wine the German officer went over the side. Von Langer's steam cutter was barely out of sight when a couple of German officers belonging to the land forces appeared on the bank, bearing a white flag. Their business was quickly transacted. They desired to surrender forthwith and unconditionally the remaining troops under their command. Within an hour eighty-five men, many of them badly wounded, were shipped on board the sea-plane parent ship _Simplicita_. Out of the three hundred reservists who had transhipped from the _San Matias_ to the _Pelikan_ but thirty-three were untouched by the British fire. Well before sunset the first of the conditions of the _Pelikan's_ surrender was carried out. The steam cutter returned towing a whaler in which were the crew of the _Myra_. British reticence went by the board when they hove in sight. They cheered frantically like delighted children. Having been under the talons of the German Eagle, they realized more than ever before the world-wide power of Britain's sea-power. Amongst them was Captain Pennington, who was warmly greeted by the officers of the _Crustacean_.