Here Professor Radberg leaned forward once more, lowering his voice considerably.

“There are three of you boys, all experts at the Pollard works.  Well, we are going to take all three of you into the German navy, and we will do something very handsome for you all.”

“The other fellows will be delighted when I tell ’em what’s coming their way,” smiled Captain Jack.

“Ach!  So?  Of course.”

“Now, what do you propose to do with us in your navy?” Jack went on.  “Are you going to make officers of us?”

“Officers?” repeated Herr Professor Radberg, slowly.  “Well, no, Herr Benson.  We could not exactly do that.  Our officers are, as you will understand, very—­what is your English word?—­aristocratic.  They could not be quite persuaded to take American commoners as their brother officers.  That you would not expect, of course.”

“Certainly not,” young Benson agreed.  If there was a slight tinge of sarcasm in his it was lost on the German, whose brow cleared as he went on, heavily: 

“No, no, my young friend; not officers.  But you shall all three have very honorable positions, and handsome sums of money to pay you for entering our service.  We in Germany know the rank which you young men have won as submarine experts, and we shall not be niggardly, for we have determined to have you in our service.”

“I hope you’ll pardon me,” proposed young Benson.  “There is just one point that has been overlooked.  You tell me that you are authorized to come to Dunhaven and kidnap my friends and myself.  But, really, how do I know that you have such authority from your own side of the water?”

Radberg looked a bit puzzled, for a moment.  Then, as he seemed to begin to comprehend, he replied, heavily: 

“Herr Benson, I have already told you that I am Herr Professor—­”

“Now, don’t hang out the striped pole again, please,” urged Jack, his face as sober as that of a judge.  “Come right down to the points of the compass.  How am I to know that you really do represent the German government?”

“Ach!  I comprehend,” nodded the German.  “Of course you will understand that, on an errand of this kind, I do not travel with too many papers.  But I shall take you and your two companions on to Washington to-morrow, I think—­”

“To-morrow ought to do as well as any time,” replied Jack, ironically.

“Yes; I think it will be to-morrow,” continued the German.  “I shall take you to our German Embassy, and one of our officials there will prove to you that I have been acting with authority.”

“That’ll be right fine of him,” agreed Jack, placidly.

“Ach!  It is settled, then,” replied the German, all but dismissing the matter with a wave of his hand.  “Yet you must bring your two comrades here.  They must understand just what is wanted of them.  And now, Herr Benson, do you wish to understand what is to be paid to you to transfer your services to our German flag?”