"An excellent arrangement," said Captain Restronguet, "only it is certain that the news will reach Karl von Harburg, and that is what I particularly wish to avoid."
"I trust that within the next few days Karl von Harburg will be totally indifferent to news of any description," remarked the captain of the "Topaze" drily. "But in the meanwhile make yourselves comfortable on board. You will, I hope, do us the honour of being a temporary member of the Ward Room. Mr. Hythe, who is still under the Naval Discipline Act, must, of course, mess in the Gun Room. I am still slightly hazy as to the exact official and social status of the aviator-in-chief to His Highness the Sultan of Zanzibar."
Three days later the "Topaze" was threshing her way southward at a good twenty-two knots and was approaching the rendezvous. It was now night, but the moon, shining with all the lustre that only the tropics can enjoy, made everything on deck quite discernible.
Surrounded by a group of officers, all of whom were most anxious to gather particulars of the rival submarines from two of the principal characters, Captain Restronguet and Hythe had to exercise their ingenuity to prevent themselves being "pumped," for even to their kind hosts it was not advisable to give themselves away. Nevertheless the time passed pleasantly. The paymaster's cigars were excellent, the surgeon was a lively raconteur, and the first lieutenant was kindness personified; but at length Captain Restronguet contrived to draw Hythe aside to the lee of the after nine-point-two-inch gun turret.
"No doubt you wondered why that fellow Jenkins addressed me as Hugh Tretheway," he began. "Well, it certainly was strange running across him in far-off Zanzibar. You may remember I told you that for some months, when down on my luck, I worked as an electrical fitter in Devonport Dockyard? That man Jenkins was in the same shop. He isn't a bad fellow by any means, though somewhat of a rough diamond. Hugh Tretheway is my baptismal name, but for certain reasons I preferred to drop it and assume the name of John Restronguet. I hope that for the present at all events you will keep that information a secret. I have already had a quiet talk with Jenkins on the matter, and from what I already know of him, he will be as silent as the dead."
"Of course I will carry out your wishes, sir," said the sub.
"Thank you. But to change the subject: what do you think of the chances of the 'Topaze' against the 'Vorwartz'?"
"She has her work cut out," replied the sub. "But I feel certain that every man on board will do his best."
"They cannot do more," added Captain Restronguet earnestly. "At the same time they are running needless risks when, once I locate the 'Vorwartz,' I could destroy her without a quarter of the danger. Suppose, now, that the Delagoa Bay report was false and Karl von Harburg is knocking about in these waters: what is there to prevent her from torpedoing the ship and sending her to the bottom?"
"That is a risk that every ship must run in naval warfare," replied Hythe. "Ever since the invention of torpedoes that risk has increased, and now that submarines form a formidable arm of the Naval Service there is still the greater possibilities of a ship being sent to the bottom without a shot in self-defence."