Brandon of the Engineers

"Well," he said, "you can make inquiries and see if my conclusions are

right."

The Vice-Consul smiled. "That is not so. You can pry into the coaling

company's affairs and, if you are caught, it would be looked upon as an

individual impertinence. If I did anything of the kind, it would reflect

upon the Foreign Office and compromise our relations with a friendly

state. The Adexe wharf is registered according to the laws of this

country as being owned by a native company."

"Then go to the authorities and tell them what you know."

"The difficulty is that I know nothing except that you have told me a

somewhat improbable tale."

"But you surely don't mean to let the raider do what she likes? Her next

victim may be a British vessel."

"I imagine the British admiralty will attend to that, and I have already

sent a cablegram announcing the loss of the French boat."

Dick saw that he was doubted and feared that argument would be useless,

but he would not give in.

"A raider must have coal and it's not easy to get upon this coast," he

resumed. "You could render her harmless by cutting off supplies."

"Do you know much about international law and how far it prohibits a

neutral country from selling coal to a belligerent?"

"I don't know anything about it; but if our Foreign Office is any good,

they ought to be able to stop the thing," Dick answered doggedly.

"Then let me try to show you how matters stand. We will suppose that your

suspicions were correct and I thought fit to make representations to the

Government of this country. What do you think would happen?"

"They'd be forced to investigate your statements."

"Exactly. The head of a department would be asked to report. You probably

know that every official whose business brings him into touch with it is

in the coaling company's pay; I imagine there is not a foreign trader

here who does not get small favors in return for bribes. Bearing this in

mind, it is easy to understand what the report would be. I should have

shown that we suspected the good faith of a friendly country, and there

would be nothing gained."

"Still, you can't let the matter drop," Dick insisted.

"Although you have given me no proof of your statements, which seem to be

founded on conjectures, I have not said that I intend to let it drop. In

the meantime I am entitled to ask for some information about yourself.

You look like an Englishman and have not been here long. Did you leave

home after the war broke out?"

"Yes," said Dick, who saw where he was leading, "very shortly

afterwards."

"Why? Men like you are needed for the army."