"Him look at paper, den laugh and talk to other man; me no savvy what say. Den he tell me all right." "In English?" "Yes, sah, he talk English same as me." It was not long before a party of men emerged from the forest beyond the clearing, and halted. There were ten askaris, one of whom carried a white flag; and in the tall German accompanying them Tom recognised the officer who had been his fellow-passenger on the _Hedwig von Wissmann_ months before. Collecting the ten men whom he had already chosen, Tom passed out through the barricade and advanced to meet the German. "Good day, Mr. Willoughby," said Major von Rudenheim, saluting. "You will remember me, no doubt. We were on board the _Hedwig von Wissmann_ together." "I remember you, Major," replied Tom, a little puzzled by this tone of friendliness; "but I was not aware that I had come within your line of vision." "Oh yes, I saw you," returned the major with a slight smile, "and I have heard a good deal about you since. But you have got yourself into a very awkward position, young man." He spoke in the tone a benevolent uncle might have used towards a small boy. "Yes, your people have found it awkward," said Tom, smoothly. "You take me too literally, Mr. Willoughby. But youth is often adventurous, and thoughtless; you do not quite realise the consequences of your rash actions. It is a pity that a private quarrel should have led you to take steps which bring you into conflict with the military power. The outbreak of war, of course, made you a public enemy; but if you had not been in such haste to pay off old scores it would have been easy to arrange for your departure into British territory." "I assure you, Major, what you call a private quarrel had nothing whatever to do with my action. We will leave my private affairs out of the question. As you say, I became a public enemy. Well?" "You do not understand, perhaps, that we should be justified in treating you as a spy." The major’s tone was not quite so friendly now. "I don’t understand what you are driving at," said Tom, bluntly. "Hadn’t you better come to the point?" A flicker of annoyance passed over the German’s face. It vanished instantly, and when he spoke again it was in the suave tones he had employed at the beginning of the interview. "I come to make a reasonable--a friendly arrangement. There are certain Germans, I believe, in your hands. I am not sure whether----" "To save time--I have a sergeant, two privates, and Mr. Reinecke." "Ah! And also certain askaris----" "Africans, not Germans."