'Well, as it's buoyed, I should advise you to pick it up as soon as
you can,' said von Brüning, carelessly; 'or someone else will.'

'Yes, by Jove! Carruthers,' said Davies, eagerly, 'we must get out on
this next tide.'

'Oh, there's no hurry,' I said, partly from policy, partly because
the ease of the shore was on me. To sit on a chair upright is
something of a luxury, however good the cause in which you have
crouched like a monkey over a table at the level of your knees, with
a reeking oil-stove at your ear.

'They're honest enough about here, aren't they?' I added. While the
words were on my lips I remembered the midnight visitor at Wangeroog,
and guessed that von Brüning was leading up to a test. Grimm (if he
was the visitor) would have told him of his narrow escape from
detection, and reticence on our part would show we suspected
something. I could have kicked myself, but it was not too late. I
took the bull by the horns, and, before the commander could answer,
added:

'By Jove! Davies, I forgot about that fellow at Wangeroog. The anchor
might be stolen, as he says.'

Davies looked blank, but von Brüning had turned to me.

'We never dreamed there would be thieves among these islands,' I
said, 'but the other night I nearly caught a fellow in the act. He
thought the yacht was empty.'