"Yes, sir," the man admitted.
"And, pray, what reason did Mr. Maas give you for desiring you to do this?"
"He told me, sir," the young man continued, "that he had your interests at heart. He said he happened to know that, if you had started for Japan at once, as you proposed, you would be running the yacht into a certain trap. He said that, though he had pleaded and argued with you in vain, you would not listen to him. You were bent on going on. The only way, he said, that he could stop you, was for me to do what I did."
"Surely, my dear Browne," interposed Maas, speaking for the first time, "you are not going to believe this cock-and-bull story, which is quite without corroboration. Your own common-sense should show you how absurd it is. What can have induced this man to trump up this charge against me I cannot say. Our friendship, however, should be proof against it. Knowing the amount of worry you have upon your shoulders at the present time, I have no desire to add to it; at the same time, I cannot permit your servant here to insult me before your face."
Browne took no notice of what he said. Turning to the engineer, he continued:—
"How much did Mr. Maas offer you, or what inducement did he bring to bear, to get you to do what you did?"
"He offered me five hundred pounds, sir," the other returned. "I told him, however, that I wouldn't take his money. You have been very good to me, sir, and I did not want to be paid for doing, what I thought was a kindness to you. It wasn't until Mr. M'Cartney told me about that cruiser having put in an appearance, that I saw what I had been led into doing. Then I went straight to him and made a clean breast of everything."
"It was the best course you could have pursued," said Browne, "and I shall remember it, when I come to deal with your case later on. In the meantime, gentlemen, what are we to do?"
As he spoke the second officer descended from the bridge and made his appearance at the cabin door.
"The cruiser, sir, has signalled that she intends sending a boat," he reported, touching his cap.