"H'm, a very profitable stroke of business on your part, especially as it placed you in a position to levy blackmail at will. Now what fee"—an ugly expression crossed the Captain's face as he uttered this—"do you require in consideration of your writing down a full account of that interesting transaction and signing it in the presence of witnesses?"
The other hesitated a moment.
"A thousand pounds in cash and a guarantee that I shall not be handed over to the British authorities as a prisoner of war."
"Agreed. You shall have the money in English and American notes as soon as you have prepared the document."
"And if I change my mind?"
"Why, then," answered Calamity with a genial smile, "it'll be the last time you ever change it on this earth," and, rising, he laid pen, ink, and paper before the prisoner.
"Call the steward when you have finished and he will send for me," said Calamity as he left the cabin.
For nearly an hour the German wrote steadily, pausing every now and again to read what he had written. When at last he had finished he called for the steward.
"Tell the Captain I'm ready," he said as Sing-hi appeared in the doorway.
The Chinaman nodded and a few minutes afterwards the Captain entered, accompanied by Smith and McPhulach.