“Then there is a chance,” said Frederick, “that our magnificent Captain von Kessel may still find a grave in some Scotch potter’s field.”

“We poor captains,” said Butor, who looked more like a German horse-car conductor than a captain.  “They ask us to command the sea and the storm, like our Lord Jesus Christ, and if we cannot, we have the choice of drowning in the ocean or hanging on land.”

Arthur Stoss joined them, and said: 

“Do you remember when the Roland began to sink, were the bulkheads shut down?”

Frederick reflected and said, “No, they weren’t.”

“I am of the same impression,” said Stoss.  “The sailors declare they know nothing about it.”

“We carried out whatever orders we received,” said the sailors.

Fleischmann put in his word: 

“The bulkheads were not closed down.  I never saw the captain, and I don’t know what sort of man he was.  But the bulkheads were not closed.  My place was next to a family of Russian Jewish emigrants.  We felt an awful shock, and a crashing and crunching as if the ship had run against a great rock.  The panic broke out immediately.  All lost their heads and went clean out of their minds.  We were hurled against one another and against the walls.  Here you can see how I was bruised.”  He rolled up his sleeves.  “There was a dark girl belonging to the Russian Jewish family who saw to it that time should not hang heavy on my hands during the trip.”  Doctor Wilhelm looked at Frederick significantly.  “She wouldn’t let go of me.  She was hoarse from screaming.  Finally, all she could do was pant.  She hung on to me, and, as I said, kept panting, ’Either you’ll go down with me or you’ll save me.’  What could I do?  I really had to give her one over her head.”

“Yes,” said Wendler, “what is a man to do in a case like that?  Here’s to you, gentlemen!”

All touched glasses.  Frederick turned pale, and the others laughed heartily.

“By the way, Doctor von Kammacher,” said Stoss, “I just thought of that Hahlstroem girl.  Really, you ought to persuade her to come to an agreement with Webster and Forster.  If you keep her from dancing, you will be interfering with her future.”

“I?” queried Frederick.  “What an idea!  What business is it of mine?”

Stoss, without heeding him, continued: 

“Webster and Forster are, as a rule, very decent.  But their influence and connections are incalculable.  Woe to the man or woman that incurs their displeasure.”

“I beg your pardon, Mr. Stoss, but you may as well spare your breath.  I am by no means the girl’s guardian.  Nor am I at all fitted to be a trafficker in men or girls.”

“Oh, oh, oh!  Why so severe?” said Stoss.  The others, including Doctor Wilhelm, chimed in; which only heightened Frederick’s brusqueness.  “Don’t you know there’s lots of money in that little witch just now?  As the American business man says, ‘There’s money in it.’  Don’t forget we’re in the dollar land, where you can’t rest until the ground has been completely exhausted and the last nugget of gold has been extracted.”