"I always like to take a salt bath before eating," replied his friend; "gives you a relish for your dinner, you know."
"By Jove, if you are going to get any more relish for your meal, I will be hanged if I am going to pay for it," said Jim with a laugh.
"Come on," said Berwick, paying no attention to Jim's persiflage.
Away they trudged across the sandy beach towards the funny little restaurant of two cars where they had eaten the night before. Whatever surprise the stout German may have felt at seeing them altogether soaked and disguisedly dirty, and likewise alive, he showed none; he was strictly business.
"Vell, gentlemans, and vat vill you haf this time?" he inquired.
"Everything you've got," said Berwick shortly.
"A salad and after dinner coffee for my friend," put in Jim, "and I will take"—and here Jim enumerated a bill of fare that would have done credit to two men.
"The same for me," said the engineer, imperturbably, when James had finished his little spiel.
"I denk you gentlemens are hungry," said Herr Scheff, as he saw a chance to make a big profit.
"Mein Gottness!" it was the voice of Frau Scheff, "mein kindlins, you are drowned, poor tings, come, fix you fine and gute. You go ahead and cook dem blenty," she commanded her husband as she saw a frown on his forehead.