"You've lost, Herr Giespert," said Harborough. "A charge of attempted murder would land you in a very tight corner. That, however, is Mr. Villiers' affair." "No harm done," declared Villiers. "We'll call it a case of mistaken identity when you sand-bagged me, Herr Strauss. It was an episode--an experience that will come in useful if ever I take to literature. I might call it an asset, so we'll wipe off that account." The Germans were dumbfounded. They failed utterly to grasp the young Englishman's attitude. Von Giespert, desperate, even when losing, tried to bargain. "Suppose, Sir Hugh," he resumed, "suppose we work in partnership--on equal shares? Surely, after all the expense to which we have been put, you will not deprive us of a chance of recovering our losses?" Harborough was on the point of declaring bluntly that he wanted no truck with a Hun, when he remembered the main thread of his scheme. "I'm dead off partnerships," he replied. "You've lost, and you must accept my terms. I think if it came to a question of force I'd still hold the whip-hand. However, that issue rests with you. You claim priority. I'll admit that. You can just carry on in your own sweet way for a month. It's up to you to slog in like blue blazes and get the stuff before the expiration of the time-limit. Got that? Good enough; good morning." The still-bewildered Huns backed away to the gangway and descended to their boat. On the face of it they could hardly credit their good fortune. Their rivals had unaccountably retired from the contest, leaving them in uninterrupted possession of the lagoon for a whole month. With reasonable luck the wreck ought to be located and the gold transferred to the _Zug_ in a fortnight. Half an hour later in the stateroom of each ship an almost identical performance was in progress. On board the _Titania_ Harborough was receiving the congratulations of his fellow-adventurers on his successful strategy; on the _Zug_ von Giespert and Strauss were shaking hands with each other and drinking with the rest of the ship's officers to the success of the next month's labours. At noon the _Titania_ weighed. It was a calm day with not enough air to give the yacht steerage-way. Under power she slipped through the entrance to the broad lagoon, and shaped a course that was certainly not in the direction of Nua Leha. "She's dipping, sir!" announced Merridew, indicating the German vessel. The _Zug_ dipped her red, white, and black ensign thrice, a hollow compliment that the _Titania_ duly returned. Both crews, being firmly under the impression that they had scored heavily, could well afford these courtesies.