When they were alone together at breakfast, however, he leant across the table and said:
"Is there any particular reason why I should not know something of our destination, Herr Körner? I see that there are two others of our undersea boats in our company. Our purpose, whatever it is, must therefore be of importance."
"If it succeeds," returned Körner, breaking the top of an egg, "it will be the biggest, most important thing we have ever done, or are ever likely to do. It will send a thrill of astonishment over the whole world. It will prove that the Kaiser's brave submarines are more powerful weapons than any dreadnought that ever was built."
"You amaze me," said Max. "I do not understand. I cannot guess. We are making a course westward, leaving England behind. We appear to be going out into the Atlantic Ocean. It is not there that we shall find any British battleships."
Lieutenant Körner laughed.
"Let us hope not," he rejoined. "No, my dear friend. Believe me, it is not battleships that we seek."
"What then?" cried Max, nervously clutching at the edge of the table. "You do not mean—you cannot mean—that it is your intention to try to sink an Atlantic liner!"
"Well guessed!" laughed Körner. "We shall torpedo her—a great liner—the greatest liner—the Ruritania."
Max Hilliger leapt from his chair.
"What?" he cried. "Impossible! You cannot be serious."