Rounding up the Raider: A Naval Story of the Great War

rd the

that we acted in strict accordance with the righ

n Langer, the ober-leutnant who had been in charge of the boarding-party, and

nnot agree with yo

rted von Riesser, "b

turn those people adrift in

to receive a thousand people on board this ship? They

I will merely state a case in which one of your captains did not think it advisable to go to the lengths you did. When, in the early part of the

g to starve us out by a blockade," interrupted the ka

ders. He had made his prot

rank demands. In ordinary circumstances you are at liberty to leave your cabins and come on deck whenever you wish during hours of daylight. There may be times when it will be necessary for you to be

on parole," in

t is my affair. If, then, you break any of the conditions I have mentioned you will be tried by a properly cons

eir assent. After all, the Germa

tirling having but a slight knowledge of the language, were unable to understand the drift of the conversation. De

British officers' surprise they noticed that it was dated "April 1916", or m

rpreter, I see," remarked von

y to add that German was amongst his qualifications, and he thanked his lucky stars that

an. He could not refrain from adding, with a thinly-veiled sneer, "I am afrai

gned indifference that von Riesser glanced kee

tion-in which the Irishman scored more than once b

nor unvaried. Having finished, they went on deck. No one offered to interfere with them. The seamen affected to ignore them. Once Unter-leutn

low voice. "Now I wish I had put my small revolver into

emptied my pockets before we left

ide that little automatic pistol-you know the one: I collared

eful," protested the caut

" replied O'Hara

e pistol?" a

ied the Irishman. "Can you see any

man, remember you are rather hot-headed. Let

ara emphatically. "Beca

tirling. "But what, might I ask, is the use of an

plied O'Hara. "I may manage to

t who had been in charge of the

d dropped his overbearing manner, for h

below. I am sorry to tell you dis, but dese ar

stood. Von Langer had hoped to tri

out?" asked Stirling, when the th

't doubt. I'll give them a week at the very outside. If we are n

d been previously closed and locked. Overhead an electric fan was buzzing, while fr

ndress. "The rotten part of it is, we can't see what's go

ndreds of men was plainly audible above the hum of the fan. "Perhaps

e woodwork merely formed a casing to a thin steel bulkhead. The ceiling, too, was of steel, coated with a patent cement to preserve the metal and to prevent "sweating".

Denbigh. "Well, it's no use kicking against the pricks when you're b

Stirling, unable to s

ep already," mutter

ixed with their food. So soundly did they sleep that they were unaware of a terrific crash that took place dur

afloat within a couple of hours from the moment of impact-had literally torn to pieces the lightly-built hull of its victim. Before

'Hara awoke. The deadlight of the porthole had been uns

e splitting. Everything in view was slowly

ized. "Where was I last night? By Jove, I must

became aware that Denbigh and Stirling, lying in their bunks on the o

in?" asked the puzzled Irishman, for he was under the impression t

speakers were making use of a foreign language. It was not t

ra. "By my blessed namesa

by the shoulders. The Sub's only reply was a grunt of semi-con

engrossed in the joys of a

O'Hara. "The sun's well over the fore-yar

sist the nautical invitation to get up. Stirling rolled from his bunk-f

unselled O'Hara. "Those rotten Hu

e Stirling. "That's no reason why you should bellow

ed upon the floor O'H

y he ex

hey've been to my pocke

Stirling remembered that he had over twenty pounds in Austr

ol?" asked

ped his uniform c

you be wanting it to let daylight in

ght have got us into hot water if they had found it. Better pitch it

O'Hara. "It may come

overed that a small amount of gold that he happened to have on him at the time of the capture

There's some underhand game afoot during the hours of darkness.

metal covering to the jalousie removed. Without stood a seaman on sentry duty. He drew himself up s

mpanion-ladder a pett

Stirling nor O'Hara understood, while Denbigh was sufficiently

announced von Langer, stepping fro

plied the three

lunch time, isn't

ond of sleep," retorted von Langer with a

sides had been painted during the night. The black band still remained, but the yellow paint had been replaced with a coat of blue. Already the tropical sun w

cended from the bridge and walked aft. See

new colour sch

ply to the questio

cabin was entered while we were asleep and the money taken fro

t von Riess

replied. "The gold was ta

--" began St

tan. "Gold is of no use to you. Instead, you will be fur

eceipt," said O'Hara. "It will come in handy when

laughed bo

ruiser that can touch us in speed. There are plenty of them, I admit, but that is your English all over. Three swift vesse

e Emden thought the same as

England and Australia to hunt for him. Our presence on the High Seas will not be known to your Admiralty until it is too late. So, gentlemen,