The murmur of voices! The Doctor was not alone upon the old coaster. Something was brewing within its sea-worn timbers. We were nearing the heart of the mystery at last!
Instinctively, we both stood up. The punt rocked perilously, but we steadied it by holding on to the lower part of the window. Once, it nearly slipped away from beneath our feet and my brother crouched down again and caught at a great clump of barnacles, motioning me to listen.
For a moment or two I could hear nothing but a guarded rumble—it was like voices heard by chance through a telephone. Then the wind happened to drop and they became quite clear.
I started with surprise, for, though I could see nothing, I was certain that there were three people on board the Hulk. Upjelly's cool, incisive tones struck immediately upon the drum of the ear. Then came another voice, a hoarse, rough voice which I did not know; and finally a third that I did.
It was the voice of Mr. Jones, and I bent down and whispered to my brother.
Then, as I rose again and listened with my very soul, I shivered with disappointment.
The people within were speaking in a language I did not understand—save only a very few words. They were speaking in German!
It seemed that Upjelly was giving instructions of some sort or other. His voice had a ring of command in it that I had never heard before. It was like a hammer on an anvil, and unless I was much mistaken, it vibrated with excitement.
The answers came quickly enough.
"Ja, gnädiger Herr," or, "Gewisz, das hab' ich gleich gethan."