Outside, the _Sutlej_ was lying in wait, eager to pounce upon her presumed prey the moment she left the three-mile zone. Hardly had the _Westburn_ steamed out of the harbor, however, than she was seen to be surrounded by a white flame. The ship swayed to one side, while the crew rushed to the boats. According to the papers, one of the boilers, all of which were in a wretched condition, had burst. Whether true or not, this incident played into our hands. It was very considerate of the ill-fated boiler to explode just at the precise moment when the _Westburn_ was liable either to be seized by the Spanish authorities or pounced upon by the English vessel. It was far better for us that the cargo of four thousand tons of coal should go to the bottom of the sea rather than that it should be utilized by an English ship. The very next day after parting from the _Westburn_ we caught sight of another steamer. After a four hours' pursuit we ascertained that she was a neutral, and we slunk away in the darkness, hoping we had not been recognized. XII--STORY OF THE "MOEWE'S" PREY--AND RETURN HOME Our next encounter was with a big, stately passenger-ship, which, unfortunately, we could not waylay. The time was now fast approaching when it became necessary to think of returning home. The nights were growing shorter, and the season of winter storms being at an end, we ran a greater risk of being captured. On reaching more northerly latitudes, we received glad tidings from home more and more frequently by wireless. A special joyful occasion was when news reached us that fifty men of our crew had been granted the Iron Cross. On February 24th one more valuable prize fell into our hands--the Frenchman _Maroni_, three thousand one hundred and nine tons, with a cargo of wine, on its way from Bordeaux to New York. Thirty-three Frenchmen were transferred on board the _Moewe_, but the ship, of course, was sunk, and with her--much to our chagrin--a thousand cases of Pommery. We could not get at them quickly enough, for they were packed away securely in the hold. But we carried away innumerable eggs, fine French cheeses, and many other provisions we had long been obliged to do without. A specially welcome find on the _Maroni_ was the newspapers. Our cruising-campaign had inspired many indignant articles, and we perused them with much zest. "Pirate" was the mildest of the terms applied to us by the French press. Still further pleasure we derived from the reading of the English and American papers seized on the next and last boat we sank--the British steamer _Saxon Prince_, three thousand four hundred and seventy-one tons, carrying a cargo of wool, grain, and explosives from America to England.