He glanced to and fro along the deck. On the fo'c'sle two men were engaged in coiling down a rope. Their backs were turned towards him. Those were the only members of the crew within sight. The helmsman was invisible from the spot where Villiers had taken up his position, owing to the height of the bridge and to the fact that the wheel-house was set well back from the canvas screen running round the bridge stanchion-rails. Having satisfied himself on this point, Villiers peered through the open fidley into the engine-room. He saw what he expected, for right in the centre of the for'ard engine-room bulkhead was a brass plate setting forth the information that the steamship _Geier_ had been engined in 1904 by the firm of Hopper and Heinz of Stettin. That ought to have been conclusive, but Villiers did not rest there. After a while he made his way right aft and leant over the stumpy counter. There were the words "_Zug_--Malmo" written plain for anyone to read, but the letters were freshly painted, and there were signs that a longer word had been somewhat carelessly obliterated. "Feeling better, Mr. Villiers?" asked Strauss, who happened to come on deck at that moment. "I wouldn't look down if I were you; it won't do your head any good." Villiers, caught out, made no reply. "Come and have tea in my cabin," continued the skipper of the _Zug_, as a preliminary to his ordered task of "pumping" his involuntary guest. Jack acquiesced. "What land is that?" he inquired casually, indicating a rugged range of hills about four miles on the port beam. "Portuguese coast," replied Strauss. "Thinking of swimming there?" "About a hundred yards is my limit," said Jack. "So I don't think I'll take it on." Both men descended the companion and entered the cabin, which opened aft out of the saloon, for in her earlier days the s.s. _Geier_ had passenger accommodation in addition to carrying cargo. Siegfried Strauss waited until tea was served, and, ordering the steward to clear out, prepared to subject his guest to a carefully manipulated cross-examination. But before he could get in his first question he was totally taken aback when Villiers looked him straight in the face and demanded bluntly. "Isn't your name Kristian Borgen?" It was wide of the mark, nevertheless Strauss knew now that Villiers had his suspicions. "No, it is not," he replied. "I am ready to swear to that." "What's in a name?" quoted Jack. "I suppose you are equally prepared to swear that you are not a German, and that this vessel isn't the _Geier_ under an assumed name?" Strauss was on the point of blustering when he bethought himself that it would be advisable to assume a conciliatory and non-committal attitude. "You are quite under a misapprehension, my friend," he said smilingly. "I don't know why you have adopted this truculent attitude. I suppose you are still feeling the effect of your rough usage. To allay your unfounded suspicions I will show you the ship's papers."