"This is the man who has been on board for the last four or five nights, Herr Kapitan," replied one. "He seemed in authority." "You've blundered," declared von Giespert, "and you cannot undo your mistake. Let us hope that his absence will throw that fellow Harborough's plans out of gear. Herr Strauss, are you all ready to proceed?" "The pilot will not be on board before six tomorrow," replied Strauss. "Those were your instructions." "Very good," rejoined von Giespert. "We must have a pilot, of course. Now when you drop him, steer eastwards to a point roughly ten miles beyond the Nab Lightship. Then you know the rest. Keep this fellow well out of sight. If he gives no trouble, carry him on to Las Palmas and land him there. If he kicks, then drop him overboard. In any case hoodwink him and try to find out our rivals' programme." Forty-eight hours had elapsed since then, and Jack Villiers was recovering his scattered senses. In that respect he was not helped when the door of his cabin was opened and two men entered. One--Strauss--was rigged out in a blue-serge suit with gilt buttons and a double line of gold braid round his cuffs. The other man was dressed in a pale-blue shirt, open at the neck, and a pair of canvas trousers. "So you are recovering," observed Strauss in an almost faultless English accent. Villiers tried to reply, but his parched throat gave no sound. "Bring some brandy," ordered Strauss, turning to his subordinate. The strong spirit had the effect of reviving Jack considerably. He found his tongue. "Where am I?" he demanded. "On the s.s. _Zug_," was the reply. "We picked you up seven miles south of St. Catherine's." "Oh!" ejaculated Villiers, taken aback by this astonishing intelligence. "How----" "Don't talk," protested Strauss, with mock sympathy. "You're very weak. I'll tell you. It was two days ago. We are bound from Malmo to Monte Video, and this is a Swedish ship. Two days ago, I say, we were standing down Channel when we sighted a ship's lifeboat drifting. We altered our course, and on approaching we found you lying unconscious on the stern-gratings. We did not touch at an English port, nor did we sight any vessel bound up-Channel; so it seems as if you must enjoy our hospitality until we reach Las Palmas." "Haven't you wireless?" inquired Villiers. The acting skipper of the _Zug_ shook his head. "Otherwise we would be able to oblige you," he added. "But I will see that you are made comfortable. Do you wish for anything to eat?" Villiers felt far from wanting food. His throat was still painful, and his head ached fearfully. "I'm thirsty," he replied. The two men went out, returning in a few minutes with a hair mattress and pillow and a basin of hot soup. "Take this and go to sleep," said Strauss, when the fresh bedding had been substituted for the canvas sacking. "I will look in again in half an hour or so."