Kaspar Klick waited no longer. Hurriedly he left the cabin, slamming and locking the door, and rushed on deck. Aft, a sentry at the ready was repeating his challenge. The first blush of the short tropical dawn revealed the presence of a four-oared galley speeding up with the tide.
"We're from the Pelikan, sir," announced the petty officer in charge, as the boat ran alongside. Without attempting to board the man delivered his message.
In spite of the closed dead-light Denbigh and his companions could hear all the fellow was saying.
"Herr Kapitan von Riesser sends his compliments," continued the coxswain. "He is anxious to know whether any of the English prisoners have escaped."
"No, certainly not," replied Kaspar Klick with righteous indignation in his voice, "our precautions are too elaborate to give the dogs a chance of that. But why has Kapitan von Riesser sent you with that question?"
"We've been in action, sir," declared the man.
"We heard the firing," remarked Klick. "And the result?"
"One English cruiser sunk, another driven on to the rocks," announced the coxswain, allowing his imagination to kick over the traces. "There were others. We would have captured or destroyed those, only——"
"Only what?" asked the unter-leutnant sharply.
"Someone cut our field telegraph. 'B' battery could not get in touch with the observation officer and so the rest of the enemy escaped."