"On receipt of your report that you had discovered the identity of the man who visited Borga, vigilance was redoubled. For obvious reasons we had no desire to arrest him until more definite news was received. He had no suspicion that he was—observed. Then, suddenly he disappeared. We picked up his tracks. He had escaped by sea in his submersible. Our squadron very nearly effected his capture. However, he escaped. He must have received news from—here. He is probably making for—here. Have you any additional report to make?"
Von Salzinger cleared his throat. He sat up. The veins stood out upon his square temples. His momentary satisfaction was completely gone. In its place was a sickening apprehension that his enemy was slipping through his fingers, and in doing so it seemed more than likely he might contrive to make his, Von Salzinger's, position even less favorable with Berlin.
"Yes, Excellency. I was about to write one when I received the telephone message of your arrival."
"Let me have the details quickly and briefly."
"In the yards at Dorby in Yorkshire, owned by Farlow, Son and Farlow—Ruxton Farlow is a partner—certain portions of them have been taken over by the British Admiralty. But these portions are not being used for naval purposes. They are constructing a new type of mercantile submersible from foreign plans, which have only very recently come to England. The submersible portion of these vessels is the principle perfected by Hertzwohl in our naval submarines. The rest of them is an entirely new design. But the complete boat is the design of—one man."
"Hertzwohl."
"That is how I read it."
"The object of naval authority in these yards is——?"
"Security and secrecy."
"Which proves the plans have either been stolen or traitorously acquired, and they fear interference and—reprisal."