you've got to do is to be yourself
and tell one lie, if need be, about the trick Dollmann played you.'

The next scene: von Bruening, Davies, and I, sitting over coffee and
Kuemmel at a table in a dingy inn-parlour overlooking the harbour and
the sea, Davies with a full box of matches on the table before him.
The commander gave us a hearty welcome, and I am bound to say I liked
him at once, as Davies had done; but I feared him, too, for he had
honest eyes, but abominably clever ones.

I had impressed on Davies to talk and question as freely and
naturally as though nothing uncommon had happened since he last saw
von Bruening on the deck of the 'Medusa'. He must ask about
Dollmann--the mutual friend--at the outset, and, if questioned about
that voyage in his company to the Elbe, must lie like a trooper as to
the danger he had been in. This was the one clear and essential
necessity, where much was difficult. Davies did his duty with
precipitation, and blushed when he put his question, in a way that
horrified me, till I remembered that his embarrassment was due, and
would be ascribed, to another cause.

'Herr Dollmann is away still, I think,' said von Bruening. (So Davies
had been right at Brunsbuettel.) 'Were you thinking of looking him up
again?' he added.

'Yes,' said Davies, shortly.

'Well, I'm sure he's away. But his yacht is back, I believe--and
Fraulein Dollmann, I suppose.'

'H'm!' said Davies; 'she's a very fine boat that.'

Our host smiled, gazing thoughtfully at Davies, who was miserable. I
saw a chance, and took it mercilessly.

'We can call on Fraulein Dollmann, at least, Davies,' I said, with a
meaning smile at von Bruening.

'H'm!, said Davies; 'will he be back soon, do you think?'

The commander had begun to light a cigar, and took his time in
answering. 'Probably,' he said, after some puffing, 'he's never away
very long. But you've seen them later than I have. Didn't you sail to
the Elbe together the day after I saw you last?'

'Oh, part of the way,' said Davies, with great negligence. 'I haven't
seen him since. He got there first; outsailed me.'

'Gave you the slip, in fact?'

'Of course he beat me; I was close-reefed. Besides--'

'Oh, I remember; there was a heavy blow--a devil of a heavy blow. I
thought of you that day. How did you manage?'

'Oh, it was a fair wind; it wasn't far, you see.'

'Grosse Gott! In _that_.' He nodded towards the window whence the
'Dulcibella's' taper mast