Von Ludwig smiled. "I should have thought you would know me in a minute in spite of my disguise," he said quietly. "I am sure I should have known both of you no matter what pains you took to conceal your features."
"You're only making matters worse," said Frank. "Come on now and tell us who you are."
Again von Ludwig smiled. "I wonder if you can guess who I am when I say
that I can tell you all about yourselves?" he said. "For instance, you,
Jack. You spent most of your life in a little African village. And you,
Frank, are an American who was shanghaied aboard a sailing vessel in
Naples soon after the outbreak of the war."
"By Jove!" said Jack. "Outside of Frank here there is only one man who knows all that about me."
"And there is but a single man who knows as much of me," declared Frank.
"Can it be——"
For answer von Ludwig rose in his seat and stripped from his face the heavy German beard that had given him the true Teutonic expression, and there stood revealed before Jack and Frank none other than Lord Hastings, their erstwhile commander and good friend. Frank gave a cry of delight and sprang forward at the imminent risk of upsetting the motor boat. He seized Lord Hastings' hand and pressed it warmly. The latter's greeting was no less affectionate. Jack, not so given to demonstrations as his chum, also advanced and grasped Lord Hasting's hand.
"You don't know how glad I am to see you again, sir," the lad said quietly. "It seems like an age since we saw you. And to think that we didn't recognize you instantly."
"That's what seemed so funny to me," said Lord Hastings. "When I first saw you aboard that German vessel I was fearful for a minute that you would recognize me and blurt it out right there."
"But what were you doing there, Lord Hastings?" asked Frank.
"It's a long story," was the latter's reply, "but I guess now is as good a time as any to explain."