"Very good, sir."
"And now we'll hurry above and try to get hold of this ship's papers before any rascal has a chance to destroy them."
Boatswain's Mate Runkle had kept the officers and crew of the "Olga" under such close guard that they were unable to get at their papers, which were quickly found by Darrin in the cabin to which he had first been invited on boarding the "Olga."
Out on deck, herded forward, were master and mate, seamen, engineers and stokers, a motley-looking outfit of twenty-one men all told.
"Bring that fellow here," Dave directed, coming on deck after having examined the ship's papers and then turning them over to Ensign Burton.
The master, purple-faced and ugly-looking, his eyes cast down, was brought before Darrin.
"Well, sir," announced Dave Darrin, eyeing the man grimly, "we have seen the cargo you have on board, and we have been able to judge the character of the cargo that you have dropped overboard."
The skipper started, but did not make any reply in words.
"How could you ever bring yourself to commit such villainy?" Darrin demanded, sternly. "You are not a German?"
"No," assented the other, shifting his weight from his right foot to his left.