On the other hand, they were grateful to their rescuers for having saved their lives, and with typical Teutonic reasoning they eventually decided that one way to repay the kindness and to ingratiate themselves in the eyes of the Englishman would be to give away their former officers.
The spokesman led off by informing Sir Reginald Fosterdyke that Unter-Leutnant Hans Leutter was the person who dropped the incendiary bomb from the observation basket in the hope that it would destroy the "Golden Hind."
"He was, of course, acting under Count von Sinzig's orders," remarked Fosterdyke, drily. "Where is Herr Leutter?"
"Dead," was the reply. "He was one of the three left on Z64."
"And Count von Sinzig was one of the other two?"
The German airman shrugged his shoulders and made a gesture of disgust. He still rankled over his kapitan's cowardly desertion. It was long obvious to all the survivors of Z64 that von Sinzig had no intention of summoning aid. Eight hours had elapsed since he began his flight in the Albatross. In that time he must have sighted several vessels, since the scene of the disaster was not many miles from one of the great Atlantic trade routes.
"Kapitan Count von Sinzig left Z64 soon after daybreak this morning, mein Herr," replied the German. "At seven o'clock, to be exact."
"Left--how?" demanded Fosterdyke, sharply.
"In an Albatross monoplane. He was last seen going east-north-east."
Fosterdyke dismissed his informant and turned to Kenyon and Bramsdean.