The next time I came down my spirits rose higher still, and for the moment I quite forgot the danger in which I stood. The light cruisers, the advance-guard of the fleet, were beginning to move! This time when I went back to my room I forced myself to read two whole chapters of a futile novel before I again took off the lid and peeped in to see how the stew was cooking. The instant I had finished the second chapter I leapt up and opened the door--and then I stood stock-still and listened. A distant sound of voices reached me, and a laugh rang out that was certainly neither Tiel"s nor Eileen"s.
I locked my door, slipped back again, and prepared to burn my papers; but though I stood over the fire for minute after minute, there was no sound of approaching steps. Very quietly I opened the door and listened once more, and still I heard voices. And thus I lingered and hesitated for more than an hour. By this time the attack had probably been made, and I could stand the suspense no longer, so I went recklessly downstairs, strode along the pa.s.sage, and opened the parlour door.
Nothing will ever efface the memory of the scene that met my eyes.
Tiel, Eileen, and Ashington sat there, the two men each with a whisky-and-soda, and all three seemingly in the most extraordinarily high spirits. It was Ashington"s face and voice that suddenly rent the veil from before my eyes. Instead of the morose and surly individual I had met before, he sat there the incarnation of the jovial sailor. He was raising his gla.s.s to his lips, and as I entered I heard the words--
"Here"s to you again, Robin!"
What had happened I did not clearly grasp in that first instant, but I _felt_ I was betrayed. My hand went straight to my revolver pocket, but before I could seize it, Tiel, who sat nearest, leapt up, grasped my wrist, and with the shock of his charge drove me down into a chair.
It was done so suddenly that I could not possibly have resisted. Then with a movement like a conjurer he picked the revolver out of my pocket, and said in his infernally cool calm way--
"Please consider yourself a prisoner of war, Mr Belke."
Even then I had not grasped the whole truth.
"A prisoner of war!" I exclaimed. "And what the devil are you, Herr Tiel? A traitor?"
"You have got my name a little wrong," said he, with that icy smile of his. "I am Commander Blacklock of the British Navy, so you can surrender either to me or to Captain Phipps, whichever you choose."
"Phipps!" I gasped, for I remembered that as the name of a member of Jellicoe"s staff.
"That"s me, old man," said the gross person with insufferable familiarity. "The Honourable Thomas Bainbridge Ashington would have a fit if he looked in the gla.s.s and saw this mug!"
"Then I understand I am betrayed?" I asked as calmly as I could.
"You"re nabbed," said Captain Phipps, with brutal British slang, "and let me tell you that"s better than being dead, which you would have been if you"d rejoined your boat."
I could not quite control my feelings.
"What has happened?" I cried.
"We"ve bagged the whole four--just at the very spot on the chart which you and I arranged!" chuckled the great brute.
(At this point Lieutenant von Belke"s comments become a little too acid for publication, and it has been considered advisable that the narrative should be finished by the Editor.)
PART V.
A FEW CONCLUDING CHAPTERS BY THE EDITOR
I.
TIEL"S JOURNEY.
For the moment the fort.i.tude of the hapless young lieutenant completely broke down when he heard these tidings. It took him a minute to control his voice, and then he said--
"Please give me back my revolver. I give you my word of honour not to use it on any of you three."
Commander Blacklock shook his head.
"I am sorry we can"t oblige you," said he.
"Poor old chap," said Phipps with genial sympathy; "it"s rotten bad luck on you, I must admit."
These well-meant words seemed only to incense the captive.
"I do not wish your d.a.m.ned sympathy!" he cried.
"Hush, hush! Ladies present," said Phipps soothingly.
Von Belke turned a lowering eye on Miss Holland. She had said not a word, and scarcely moved since he came into the room, but her breathing was a little quicker than usual, and her gaze had followed intently each speaker in turn.
"Ach so!" he said; "the decoy is still present. I had forgot."
Blacklock"s eye blazed dangerously.
"Mr Belke," he said, "Captain Phipps and I have pleaded very strongly that, in spite of your exceedingly ambiguous position, and the fact that you have not always been wearing uniform, you should not suffer the fate of a spy. But if you make any more remarks like your last, I warn you we shall withdraw this plea."
For the first time Eileen spoke.
"Please do not think it matters to me, Captain Blacklock----" she began.
In a whisper Phipps interrupted her.
"Eye-wash!" he said. "It"s the only way to treat a Hun--show him the stick!"
The hint had certainly produced its effect. Von Belke shrugged his shoulders, and merely remarked--
"I am your prisoner. I say nothing more."
"That"s distinctly wiser," said Captain Phipps, with a formidable scowl at the captive and a wink at Miss Holland.
For a few moments von Belke kept his word, and sat doggedly silent.
Then suddenly he exclaimed--
"But I do not understand all this! How should a German agent be a British officer? My Government knew all about Tiel--I was told to be under his orders--it is impossible you can be he!"
Blacklock turned to the other two.
"I almost think I owe Mr Belke an explanation," he said with a smile.
"Yes," cried Eileen eagerly, "do tell him, and then--then he will understand a little better."
Blacklock filled a pipe and leaned his back against the fireplace, a curious mixture of clergyman in his attire and keen professional sailor in his voice and bearing, now that all need for pretence was gone.