CHAPTER XLIV
THE GERMANS ARE ANNOYED
Mr. Sabin ate his luncheon with unimpaired appetite and with his usualcare that everything of which he partook should be so far as possible ofthe best. The close presence of the German man-of-war did not greatlyalarm him. He had some knowledge of the laws and courtesies of maritimelife, and he could not conceive by what means short of actual force hecould be inveigled on board of her. Mr. Watson's last words had beena little disquieting, but he probably held an exaggerated opinion asto the powers possessed by his employers. Mr. Sabin had been in manytighter places than this, and he had sufficient belief in the countryof his recent adoption to congratulate himself that it was an Englishboat on which he was a passenger. He proceeded to make himself agreeableto Mrs. Watson, who, in a charming costume of blue and white, and afascinating little hat, had just come on to luncheon.
"I have been talking," he remarked, after a brief pause in theirconversation, "to your husband this morning."
She looked up at him with a meaning smile upon her face.
"So he has been telling me."
"I hope," Mr. Sabin continued gently, "that your advice to him--I takeit for granted that he comes to you for advice--was in my favour."
"It was very much in your favour," she answered, leaning across towardshim. "I think that you knew it would be."
"I hoped at least----"
Mr. Sabin broke off suddenly in the midst of his sentence, and turninground looked out of the open port-hole. Mrs. Watson had dropped herknife and fork and was holding her hands to her ears. The saloon itselfseemed to be shaken by the booming of a gun fired at close quarters.
"What is it?" she exclaimed, looking across at him with frightened eyes."What can have happened! England is not at war with anybody, is she?"
Mr. Sabin looked up with a quiet smile from the salad which he wasmixing.
"It is simply a signal from another ship," he answered. "She wants us tostop."
"What ship? Do you know anything about it? Do you know what they want?"
"Not exactly," Mr. Sabin said. "At the same time I have some idea. Theship who fired that signal is a German man-of-war, and you see we arestopping."
Of the two Mrs. Watson was certainly the most nervous. Her fingers shookso that the wine in her glass was spilt. She set her glass down andlooked across at her companion.
"They will take you away," she murmured.
"I think not," Mr. Sabin answered. "I am inclined to think that I amperfectly safe. Will you try some of my salad?"
A look of admiration flashed for a moment across her face,
"You are a wonderful man," she said softly. "No salad, thanks! I am toonervous to eat. Let us go on deck!"
Mr. Sabin rose, and carefully selected a cigarette.
"I can assure you," he said, "that they are powerless to do anythingexcept attempt to frighten Captain Ackinson. Of course they mightsucceed in that, but I don't think it is likely. Let us go and hear whathe has to say."
Captain Ackinson was standing alone on the deck, watching theman-of-war's boat which was being rapidly pulled towards the _Calipha_.He was obviously in a bad temper. There was a black frown upon hisforehead which did not altogether disappear when he turned his head andsaw them approaching.
"Are we arrested, Captain?" Mr. Sabin asked. "Why couldn't they signalwhat they wanted?"
"Because they're blistering idiots," Captain Ackinson answered. "Theyblither me to stop, and I signalled back to ask their reason, and I'mdashed if they didn't put a shot across my bows. As if I hadn't lostenough time already without fooling."
"Thanks to us, I am afraid, Captain," Mrs. Watson put in.
"Well, I'm not regretting that, Mrs. Watson," the captain answeredgallantly. "We got something for stopping there, but we shall getnothing decent from these confounded Germans, I am very sure. By thebye, can you speak their lingo, Mr. Sabin?"
"Yes," Mr. Sabin answered, "I can speak German. Can I be of anyassistance to you?"
"You might stay with me if you will," Captain Ackinson answered, "incase they don't speak English."
Mr. Sabin remained by the captain's side, standing with his hands behindhim. Mrs. Watson leaned over the rail close at hand, watching theapproaching boat, and exchanging remarks with the doctor. In a fewminutes the boat was alongside, and an officer in the uniform of theGerman Navy rose and made a stiff salute.
"Are you the captain?" he inquired, in stiff but correct English.
The captain returned his salute.
"I am Captain Ackinson, Cunard ss. _Calipha_," he answered. "What do youwant with me?"
"I am Captain Von Dronestein, in command of the _Kaiser Wilhelm_,German Navy," was the reply. "I want a word or two with you in private,Captain Ackinson. Can I come on board?"
Captain Ackinson's reply was not gushing. He gave the necessary orders,however, and in a few moments Captain Von Dronestein, and a thin, darkman in the dress of a civilian, clambered to the deck. They looked atMr. Sabin, standing by the captain's side, and exchanged glances ofintelligence.
"If you will kindly permit us, Captain," the newcomer said, "we shouldlike to speak with you in private. The matter is one of greatimportance."
Mr. Sabin discreetly retired. The captain turned on his heel and led theway to his cabin. He pointed briefly to the lounge against the wall andremained himself standing.
"Now, gentlemen, if you please," he said briskly, "to business. You havestopped a mail steamer in mid ocean by force, so I presume you havesomething of importance to say. Please say it and let me go on. I ambehind time now."
The German held up his hands. "We have stopped you," he said, "it istrue, but not by force. No! No!"
"I don't know what else you call it when you show me a bounding thirtyguns and put a shot across my bows."
"It was a blank charge," the German began, but Captain Ackinsoninterrupted him.
"It was nothing of the sort!" he declared bluntly. "I was on deck and Isaw the charge strike the water."
"It was then contrary to my orders," Captain Dronestein declared, "andin any case it was not intended for intimidation."
"Never mind what it was intended for. I have my own opinion about that,"Captain Ackinson remarked impatiently. "Proceed if you please!"
"In the first place permit me to introduce the Baron Von Graisheim, whois attached to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs at Berlin."
Captain Ackinson's acknowledgment of the introduction was barely civil.The German continued--
"I am afraid you will not consider my errand here a particularlypleasant one, Herr Captain. I have a warrant here for the arrest of oneof your passengers, whom I have to ask you to hand over to me."
"A what!" Captain Ackinson exclaimed, with a spot of deep colourstealing through the tan of his cheeks.
"A warrant," Dronestein continued, drawing an imposing looking documentfrom his breast pocket. "If you will examine it you will perceive thatit is in perfect order. It bears, in fact," he continued, pointing withreverential forefinger to a signature near the bottom of the document,"the seal of his most august Majesty, the Emperor of Germany."
Captain Ackinson glanced at the document with imperturbable face.
"What is the name of the gentleman to whom all this refers?" heinquired.
"The Duc de Souspennier!"
"The name," Captain Ackinson remarked, "is not upon my passengers'list."
"He is travelling under the alias of 'Mr. Sabin,'" Baron Von Graisheiminterjected.
"And do you expect me," Captain Ackinson remarked, "to hand over theperson in question to you on the authority of that document?"
"Certainly!" the two men exclaimed with one voice.
"Then I am very sorry indeed," Captain Ackinson declared, "that youshould have had the temerity to stop my ship, and detain me here on sucha fool's errand. We are on the high seas and under the English flag. Thedocument you have just shown me impeaching the Duc de Souspennier for'lese majestie' and high treason, and all th
e rest of it, is not worththe paper it is written on here, nor, I should think in America. I mustask you to leave my ship at once, gentlemen, and I can promise you thatmy employers, the Cunard ss. Company, will bring a claim against yourGovernment for this unwarrantable detention."
"You must, if you please, be reasonable," Captain Dronestein said. "Wehave force behind us, and we are determined to rescue this man at allcosts."
Captain Ackinson laughed scornfully.
"I shall be interested to see what measures of force you will employ,"he remarked. "You may have a tidy bill to pay as it is, for that shotyou put across my bows. If you try another it may cost you the _KaiserWilhelm_ and the whole of the German Navy. Now, if you please, I've nomore time to waste."
Captain Ackinson moved towards the door. Dronestein laid his hand uponhis arm.
"Captain Ackinson," he said, "do not be rash. If I have seemed tooperemptory in this matter, remember that Germany as my fatherlandis as dear to me as England to you, and this man whose arrest I amcommissioned to effect has earned for himself the deep enmity of allpatriots. Listen to me, I beg. You run not one shadow of risk indelivering this man up to my custody. He has no country with whom youmight become embroiled. He is a French Royalist, who has cast himselfadrift altogether from his country, and is indeed her enemy. Apart fromthat, his detention, trial and sentence, would be before a secret court.He would simply disappear. As for you, you need not fear but thatyour services will be amply recognised. Make your claims now for thisdetention of your steamer; fix it if you will at five or even tenthousand pounds, and I will satisfy it on the spot by a draft on theImperial Exchequer. The man can be nothing to you. Make a great countryyour debtor. You will never regret it."
Captain Ackinson shook his arm free from the other's grasp, and strodeout on to the deck.
"_Kaiser Wilhelm_ boat alongside," he shouted, blowing his whistle."Smith, have these gentlemen lowered at once, and pass the word to theengineer's room, full speed ahead."
He turned to the two men, who had followed him out.
"You had better get off my ship before I lose my temper," he saidbluntly. "But rest assured that I shall report this attempt atintimidation and bribery to my employers, and they will without doubtlay the matter before the Government."
"But Captain Ackinson----"
"Not another word, sir."
"My dear----"
Captain Ackinson turned his back upon the two men, and with a stiff,military salute turned towards the bridge. Already the machinery wascommencing to throb. Mr. Watson, who was hovering near, came up andhelped them to descend. A few apparently casual remarks passed betweenthe three men. From a little lower down Mr. Sabin and Mrs. Watson leanedover the rail and watched the visitors lowered into their boat.
"That was rather a foolish attempt," he remarked lightly; "neverthelessthey seem disappointed."
She looked after them pensively.
"I wish I knew what they said to--my husband," she murmured.
"Orders for my assassination, very likely," he remarked lightly. "Didyou see your husband's face when he passed us?"
She nodded, and looked behind. Mr. Watson had entered the smoke-room.She drew a little nearer to Mr. Sabin and dropped her voice almost to awhisper.
"What you have said in jest is most likely the truth. Be very careful!"