Occasionally the girl heard a footstep pass her stateroom window; but she kept the port nearly closed so that nobody could peer in. Some time after the screw had started a man came and knocked on the pane.
She smelled coffee and heard the rattle of dishes; so she opened the window.
The man thrust in to her a pot of coffee and a platter of ham and eggs—coarse fare, but welcome, for Ruth found she had a robust appetite. She placed a piece of silver in the man’s palm and heard a muttered “Thank you!” in German.
She felt that it might be well to make a friend among the mutineers if she could do so.
It was not long after she was fed that another footstep halted at her open port. The voice of Boldig, the recreant officer of the ship came to her ear.
“Do you want anything, Miss Fielding?” he asked.
At first she would not speak; but when he repeated his question, adding:
“You know, I can draw those nails in your door as well as I could hammer them in,” she hastened to reply:
“I want nothing.”
He laughed most disagreeably. “You might as well be good natured about it, my dear,” he said. “No knowing how long we shall be shipmates. I am quite sure the commander of the submersible will not take you aboard his craft; so I fear you are apt to remain with us.”