"I may as well tell you," began Denbigh, seizing his opportunity, "that I can speak German perhaps as well as you can speak English. I overheard your conversation outside our cabin an hour or so ago, and we know what you proposed to do to the ship which you were luring. I suppose you call those tactics frightfulness. I call them low-down, skulking treachery. How a man who professes to be a sailor, who has lived a free and healthy life upon the sea, could belittle himself to act as you propose to do, and possibly have done, passes my understanding. I give you fair warning, Kapitan von Riesser, that, should we be set free by an English cruiser, you will have a grave indictment to answer." Von Riesser did not reply for a few moments. He was greatly agitated. Once or twice he glanced anxiously at his ober-leutnant, as if curious to know whether von Langer understood Denbigh's words. Then he, too, laughed, but it was not a natural outburst of an unburdened and evenly-balanced mind. "You threaten?" he asked. "Well, I can threaten also. Suppose I decide to put into operation the principle of your worthy Prime Minister? One of his maxims, oft quoted in the Press, is, I believe, 'Wait and see'?" "It ought to be particularly applicable in your case," rejoined Denbigh coolly. "Ach! And in yours. What is to prevent me from ordering a weight to be put about your neck and cast you into the sea? Weight and sea. Himmel, that is great!" He roared at his own joke, while von Langer, although unable to comprehend the significance, showed his servile approbation by laughing in a minor key. "I don't think that it would make very much difference if you did," replied Denbigh. "You see, the _Nichi Maru's_ people know that you carried us off. Some day you will have to answer some rather searching questions if you could not produce us." Again von Riesser pondered. He was beginning to feel horribly annoyed with himself for having ever received the three British officers on board the _Pelikan_. He was plunging deeper and deeper into the mire. He lacked the determination to cut the Gordian Knot. By way of an excuse he scribbled a note and tossed it to von Langer. "Take that to the officer of the watch," he said carelessly. The ober-leutnant quitted the cabin. The two impassive seamen remained. They, fortunately, knew no English, save a few catch phrases picked up when lying in dock in that dim period before the War. "Suppose we cry quits," resumed von Riesser. "I am ready to apologize for having exceeded my rights in dealing with you. After all there's no great harm done. I'll admit I planned to trap yonder vessel. You must have misunderstood me when I said that I had intended to torpedo her. We use our torpedoes only in cases of extreme necessity. Are you willing to forget this night?" "We would like to talk the matter over between ourselves," replied Denbigh. "If you have no objection, we will give our reply at noon to-morrow."