Although breakfast was laid, Captain Restronguet was busy writing as Hythe entered the cabin.
"Excuse me while I finish," said the former apologetically. "Here is a copy of this week's 'Gibraltar Herald'; it was published only yesterday, so it is fairly recent. Perhaps you might care to look at it?"
Hythe took the journal wonderingly. How could it have come into Captain Restronguet's possession? He sat down and opened the pages. Most of the news consisted of matter interesting only to the members of the colony, such as descriptions of social functions of such minor importance that the edition of the smallest weekly at home would scorn to make use of; but about one half of the back sheet was devoted to general news.
Three quarters of a column were occupied by a more or less accurate account of Karl von Harburg's doings at Malta. Since Captain Restronguet had exposed the fellow's identity the owner of the "Vorwartz" no longer attempted to screen himself by attributing his illegal acts to his rival; on the other hand the dénouement seemed to have emboldened him, for hitherto he had confined his active attentions solely to German national property. Now he was fast developing into a pirate, attacking all nations without any consideration. Yet, curiously enough, he never attempted to take booty, and on this account his motives were the subject of the keenest discussion.
Already international squadrons, representing Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Austria, Russia, and Greece were co-operating with a view of exterminating the modern buccaneer, while from Cape Tarifa to Centa a powerful flotilla of the latest type of submarines formed a cordon at the maximum depth attainable with safety beneath the surface. These in turn were supported by a number of destroyers and protected cruisers, while overhead aero-hydroplanes flew by day and naval airships soared by night, the latter keeping their searchlights playing vertically downwards in the hope of locating and annihilating the vampire of the seas.
The tension between England and Germany had, according to the paper, been considerably relaxed, and both the Atlantic Fleet and the High Seas Fleet had returned to their respective ports; but at the same time the British Prime Minister had spoken strongly in the House, urging the oft neglected precept that "A nation armed is a nation at peace."
The only other item of news that interested Hythe was a report that there had been seismic disturbances in the Mediterranean, and that Malta had experienced two severe shocks. The sub knew Malta well; besides, he had relations living there, his maternal uncle holding a shore appointment under the Admiralty. Although the effects of the tremor were felt at Bizerta, Tripoli, Syracuse, Messina, Reggio, and even as far north as Rome, Vesuvius and Etna showed no signs of increased activity, while Stromboli had ceased for several days to emit smoke. This phenomenon had been debated upon by men of science, but no satisfactory explanation had been arrived at.
"Have you found anything sufficiently interesting to make you forget my rudeness, Mr. Hythe?" asked Captain Restronguet, as he put his writing materials into his desk and locked it up. "I had to finish this dispatch, as you so kindly consented to take it ashore for me."
"I have been wondering how you obtained the paper, sir?"
"Easily done. We arrived in the bay about four this morning. Carclew immediately left the 'Aphrodite' and walked ashore, landing on the Neutral Ground about four hundred yards beyond the Advance Lines. He divested himself of his diving-dress and hid it, and as soon as the gun went--the signal for the gates of the fortress to be opened, as you know--he mingled with the crowd of locked-out Scorps, Spanish traders and pedlars, and walked unceremoniously into the town. Coming back, however, he had a nasty time, for the sentries had their suspicions, taking him for a smuggler, and it was as much as he could do to slip into the water without being seen."