The submarine was still running beneath the surface, but the fear of pursuit was apparently at an end for the time being, since the kapitan-leutnant had handed over the control of the vessel to a quartermaster.
Since the commanding officer of the U-boat could not speak English the examination was carried out by von Loringhoven, who in turn translated, or mistranslated according to his own purpose, the prisoner's replies.
"What is your name?" demanded von Loringhoven.
Farrar told him.
"Ach! is that so?" exclaimed his questioner. "This is, to quote one of your English idioms, a little bit of all right.' Unless I am greatly mistaken you are the officer who shot my friend von Gobendorff in cold blood."
"It was an accident," corrected the sub. "I was rabbit-shooting, and quite by chance I wounded him slightly in his head. As to saying it was——"
"Accident?" interrupted von Loringhoven. "That is good. Whenever an Englishman does an underhand bit of work and he is discovered the excuse is, 'It is an accident.' However, that is one count against you. Now, what have you to say when I accuse you of being a common pirate, committing outrages under the cover of a Greek flag?"
"Surely he cannot have heard of the strafing of the U-boat that was shelling the 'Epicyclic's' boats?" thought the sub. "I'll say nothing about that."
"Come! Come!" pressed the Run. "Why hesitate in your reply?"
"What evidence have you as proof of your assertion?" asked Farrar.