"Treachery," he said bitterly. "I was sent out to look round as the man did not come, and we rowed to the signal—three flashes—a stop and one."
Gheena looked thoughtfully at the guilty candle.
The Professor, breaking into fluent German, questioned rapidly, and the lieutenant replied sulkily to the effect that he did not believe the "U" boat could safely go down again. Then he fell into a species of stupor, breathing heavily.
"Light schulls they have," said Murphy pleasantly. "Any of the little sthrokes I dhrew on him wouldn't have med one of us miss a pint of porther?"
Completely bewildered, forgetting even her blanket, Gheena breathed fast and stared.
The old Professor, who appeared to have thrown off several years of life, chuckled pleasantly.
Then he ceased chuckling to ask gravely if she could possibly keep a secret, and make no mention of this night's adventuring to anyone save Darby.
"It was your light which did it," he said. "And Stafford here practically alone. You flashed it; I saw the gleam. He says he told you not to."
"You'll imprison him—or——" Gheena's voice was unsteady.
The Professor said "With other prisoners of war," in an absent voice, and thought Irish girls were impressionable.