To Darrin's mild astonishment, as he stepped below, a folding table had been set up, and around this were seated the ober-lieutenant and two other officers, one of them an engineer. Von Schellen, at a nod from his chief, made the fourth at the table.
Into this cabin were brought the English couple and the Danish master. Several sailors stood about. The occasion began to take on a formal look, which was heightened when the ober-lieutenant laid on the table a small sheaf of papers.
"First of all, you, Herr Darrin," began the ober-lieutenant. "There can be no doubt that you are Darrin?"
Dave thrust a hand in under his sheepskin, bringing to light a card-case. From it he withdrew a pasteboard which he laid on the table.
"That is my card," he said.
The ober-lieutenant studied it deliberately, then passed it to another officer as he continued:
"And you do not deny that it was you who captured Ober-Lieutenant von Bechtold of the Imperial German Navy. You were the principal witness against him when he was tried in Britain for being a spy?"
"I do not deny it, sir."
"That is all. You may step back."
As Darrin drew back he could not escape the feeling that two of the seamen near him regarded him as being their especial prisoner.