While the captain of the Nemo and Diver Thacker looked on dumbfounded Dick fairly leaped across the deck in the direction of Weddigen and shook a fist under that diver's nose.
"You dirty dog of a traitor; don't think you will get away with it this time."
Weddigen recoiled under the fury of the verbal attack, his own teeth showing like a whipped cur that has been backed in a corner by a giant mastiff.
Instantly there was a great hubbub on deck, members of the crew jostling about just as a crowd collects on a public thoroughfare at the least sign of a commotion. It was not the first time that Diver Weddigen was thus confronted by one of the Brighton boys. Sailors of the Nemo recalled on the instant the scene after the recovery of the diamonds from the Dominion.
"You are a spy in the service of the German secret service and a cowardly villain to the very core of your heart."
Dick Monaghan was fairly railing at the cowering diver. By now Captain Austin had edged up closer with Jay Thacker right at his heels.
"Captain Austin, this man Weddigen recovered that chest of government plans from the U-boat; but he was trying to get rid of them again. He knew that Jay Thacker and I would stay here as long as you would let us in an attempt to reclaim them, and that in the event of our failure to salvage them the U. S. Navy would have persisted until it had gotten them back again. And so he tried to do away with them when he realized that it was impossible now ever to get these plans out of this country."
Captain Austin stepped away aghast with rage.
"What! Do you mean——"
Like a human machine gun Dick rattled off the story of what had happened on the floor of the ocean; how he had come upon Weddigen tugging away at the chest; how he had stood watch while the diver made ready to bury the precious documents, and how he had intervened just in the nick of time.