"My name is General von Werben. You would oblige me, Captain, if you would give me a technical explanation of our situation--privately, of course, and in confidence. I should not like to ask you to say anything against a comrade, or to do anything that would shake his authority, which we may possibly yet need to make use of. Is the Captain responsible, in your opinion, for our accident?" [Illustration: THE LAST DAY OF A CONDEMNED MAN _Permission Ch. Sedelmeyer, Paris_ MICHAEL VON MUNKACSY] "Yes, and no, General. No, for the sea charts, by which we are directed to steer, record this place as navigable. The charts were correct, too, until a few years ago; since that time heavy sand deposits have been made here, and, besides, the water has fallen continually in consequence of the west wind which has prevailed for some weeks. The more prudent, therefore, avoid this place. I myself should have avoided it." "Very well! And now what do you think of the situation? Are we in danger, or likely to be?" "I think not. The ship lies almost upright, and on clear, smooth sand. It may lie thus for a very long time, if nothing intervenes." "The Captain is right in keeping us on board, then?" "Yes, I think so--the more so as the wind, for the first time in three days, appears about to shift to the east, and, if it does, we shall probably be afloat again in a few hours. Meanwhile----" "Meanwhile?" "To err is human, General. If the wind--we now have south-southeast--it is not probable, but yet possible--should again shift to the west and become stronger, perhaps very strong, a serious situation might, of course, confront us." "Then we should take advantage of the Captain's permission to leave the ship?" "As the passage is easy and entirely safe, I can at least say nothing against it. But, in that case, it ought to be done while it is still sufficiently light--best of all, at once." "And you? You would remain, as a matter of course?" "As a matter of course, General." "I thank you." The General touched his cap with a slight nod of his head; Reinhold lifted his with a quick movement, returning the nod with a stiff bow. "Well?" queried Else, as her father came up to her again. "The man must have been a soldier," replied the General. "Why so?" asked the President. "Because I could wish that I might always have such clear, accurate reports from my officers. The situation, then, is this----" He repeated what he had just heard from Reinhold, and closed by saying that he would recommend to the Captain that the passengers who wished to do so should be disembarked at once. "I, for my part, do not think of submitting to this inconvenience, which it would seem, moreover, is unnecessary; except that Else----" "I, Papa!" exclaimed Else; "I don't think of it for a moment!"