"Hope there won't be too many underwater stunts," said Blenkinson. "I've had enough submarine work during the last twenty-four hours to last me a lifetime. Give me an old 'bus at five thousand feet any day."
"There'll be no under-water performances this trip, I hope," remarked Wakefield gravely. "If there is, it will be a case with us."
"Is that so?" asked Cumberleigh. "I thought this was a captured U-boat."
"So did I once upon a time," said Wakefield, and he briefly explained Q 171's true rôle.
The five officers were standing aft watching the transhipment of the mutineers. Morpeth and Sub-lieutenant Ainslie were far too busy to pay any attention to the released captives. The R.N.R. skipper was alertly watching events, ready to cope with any sinister designs on the part of Fritz, while Ainslie was superintending the task of clapping the surrendered Huns under hatches.
With a good knowledge of German—it was mainly on that account that he was appointed to Q 171—Ainslie soon obtained the mutineers' carefully concocted account of what had happened to merit their tame surrender; what was more, he literally "knocked the stuffing out of them" by informing them that their precious yarn was all eye-wash, and that Ober-leutnant von Preugfeld and Unter-leutnant von Loringhoven had been picked up and were now on board as prisoners of war. Yet with the Hun's typical effrontery Hans Furst coolly told the examination officer that after the war he proposed to settle in England, become naturalised, and make plenty of money.
"The English," he added "will be grateful to me when they learn that I threw the German officers overboard."
While the cross-questioning of the mutineers was in progress Morpeth was taking steps to destroy the prize.
"You might have a look round before we send her to the bottom," he said to Wakefield, who jumped at the suggestion.
So Wakefield, Meredith and three of the Q-boat's crew manned the collapsible dinghy belonging to the captured submarine and boarded the prize.