It did not take the Olive Branch long to overhaul the craft, which proved to be a German tramp steamer of about 4,000 tons. She was rolling helplessly in the trough of the waves, alternately dipping her topstrakes and showing the greater part of her bilge-keels, while from her mainmast fluttered the international signal signifying that her main shafting was broken.
Maintaining a bare steerage way the Olive Branch was brought as close to the disabled vessel as was consistent with safety, and by the aid of a megaphone Captain Brookes expressed his intention of giving the tramp a "pluck" into Pernambuco.
"Are you Engliche sheep of war?" asked the gold-laced Teuton in command, knowing full well that in that case he would be freed from the obligation of paying salvage.
"No," replied Captain Brookes, shortly.
"Den how much you want?" continued the German officer, astutely.
"The same as if this ship were a British Government vessel—nothing at all. So stand by to get out a hawser."
The delighted skipper thereupon asked the name of the cruiser, but Captain Brookes preferred to keep a mysterious silence. Possibly he had ulterior motives in acting the good Samaritan, but Tregarthen was unable to fathom them.
It was a hard task to bring the tramp's hawsers aboard the cruiser. Twice they parted like pack-thread, but at the third attempt a strong cable was secured to a stout "necklace" passing round the base of the after-turret. Then, at a steady twelve knots, the Olive Branch headed for Pernambuco, the disabled tramp wallowing astern like a wounded porpoise.
