The prize was a Yankee, bound from Boston to Liverpool with a cargo of warlike stores. According to arrangements, she should have been met and escorted by a patrol vessel; but, although the latter was hourly expected, something had occurred to delay her.
"We'll have to sink you," declared the German officer.
The "old man"--a typical New Englander--shrugged his shoulders.
"Wal, I reckon yer can," he replied coolly.
"You don't seem concerned by the fact."
"Not I, stranger. This hyer ship an' cargo is jest insured up to the hilt in 'The Narragut Marine Assurance Company'. An' since the bulk of the shareholders are Huns--wal, I guess it's 'nuff said."
"Ach! Then I suppose I must let you go," exclaimed the baffled German officer. "If you fall in with any British war-vessels you might tell them that we have two Englishmen on board."
"Maybe you'd care to let us give 'em a passage?" hazarded the Boston skipper.
"If that had been our intention we should have done so without asking a favour," rejoined the unter-leutnant.
"Perhaps you would care to examine the ship's papers?" enquired the master. His keen eyes had detected a small, swiftly moving object on the horizon--the expected patrol boat. Cap'n Hiram Goslow, although a tough Republican, was quite in sympathy with the Allies. On previous voyages he had fallen foul of the Huns, and the treatment he had received still rankled. "Maybe you aren't quite satisfied about the 'Narragut Marine Assurance Company' stunt?"