"That will be sufficient for the present," said the lieutenant. "Your evidence will be taken in due course." Five witnesses for the prosecution having been called, the prisoner was allowed to speak on his own behalf. The accused scientist tacitly admitted that he had broken out of the ship, but strenuously denied having given any information regarding the cruiser to the master or any member of the crew of the _Afrika_. At first his speech was delivered in perfectly pure English, but by degrees he waxed excitable and spoke with a decided foreign accent. "And I claim," he continued, "ze protection of ze German flag, for I am a German by nationality." "Is that so?" demanded Captain Brookes. "How is it that this fact was concealed when you joined this vessel? And why has it remained a secret till this moment?" "I am a German," reiterated the prisoner. "My name is Schneider, not Taylor. I told zese gentlemen it was so," indicating Gerald and Jack with a wave of his hand. "I told zem I was a German subject, and zat I was about to run away from ze ship as soon as I was able, and zey know it." "Then why did you not report this to me, sir?" asked Captain Brookes, turning to Gerald. "The man came into my cabin one evening in an excited manner," replied Gerald, calmly. "He certainly said his name was Schneider, and began to tell us a long rigmarole concerning his private affairs. We told him that if he had a grievance, you, sir, were the best person to hear it. With that we kicked him out." "Thank you," said Captain Brookes, and, addressing the prisoner, continued, "Are you in a position to inform us where are the drawings and specifications relating to the 6in. shells?" The accused turned a shade paler than before. "In one of ze lockers in ze laboratory," he replied. "If I send you to the laboratory under escort, can you produce them?" "Hein! If zey are not zare zey haf been stolen," exclaimed Schneider. "Perhaps you haf hidden zem." "They _have_ been stolen, sir," rapped out the captain, harshly; "and by you. They were found in the cabin of the master of the _Afrika_ by Lieutenant Slade. What have you to say to this?" Schneider's limbs were trembling so violently that one of the seamen had to support him, otherwise he would have fallen to the deck. "Well, gentlemen, your verdict?" "Guilty on both counts."