“Yes, we came in,” spoke Bob, with grim humor, “and now the puzzle is how to get out again. It’s like a trap.”
“Oh, we’ll get out somehow,” declared Jerry, with more confidence than he felt.
“One thing we might do,” said Mr. Sheldon. “And that is to wait one more day. Then we can renew our request.”
“Why wait?” asked Bob.
“Because,” answered his uncle, “the mind of an insane person changes. At one time he may refuse to do something, and later he will grant your request. Dr. Klauss is no doubt crazy on only one subject. That is his fancied grievance against our country. That has made him insane. We will make another request, to-morrow, to be set ashore, and if he refuses—why, we will see what we can do with the crew. Fortunately we have our freedom on board, and that means a lot. If he locked us up we would have hard work to perfect our plot.”
“And now, Uncle Nelson,” said Bob, “while we are having this conference, won’t you tell me what it is that you were bringing from Germany that was so valuable?”
“It is valuable yet, Bob,” was the reply. “I still have it, for I saved it from the shipwreck. But, if it’s all the same to you, I had rather not mention it here. We can’t tell who may be listening, and if Dr. Klauss knew I had this he might take such precautions to prevent me from ever getting away that it would spoil all our plans.”
“Why, is it his?”
“Well, he claims it, but it is not his. Some time later I will tell you,” and with this Bob and his chums had to be content.