"'Eleusis' ahoy!" hailed Captain Restronguet in stentorian tones.
"What ship's dat?" asked the Grecian master, who spoke English by reason of several years' service in the British Mercantile Marine.
"Submarine 'Aphrodite,'" replied her captain.
Evidently the fame of Captain Restronguet had already reached the ears of the master of the "Eleusis," for he gave a dramatic gesture of surprise.
"What want, eh? Me peaceful."
"So are we," rejoined Captain Restronguet. "We have just picked up a man and a boy from an Italian fishing-boat. Where are you bound?"
"Messina, Napoli an' Civita Vecchia, sar."
"Will you take these two men as far as Messina?"
The Greek hesitated. His natural cupidity, now that the submarine had shown no hostile intentions, returned.
"Can dey pay passage-monnaire?"