“Didn’t you arrest the skipper as well?”

“I intend to use them in our interest, and hope that Admiral Hollway will find himself caught in his own net.”

“Isn’t that rather a risky game?  If the fellows have betrayed Admiral Hollway, you may rely upon it they will do the same by us.”

“I trust to their fears and selfishness more than their honour.  To take information about us to the English they must return here again, and so I hold them in my hand.”

“But the converse is true.  I confess I have very little faith in such double-dealing spies.”

“Of course, I feel the same; but I believe I have at last found the way to the headquarters of the English system of espionage.  In order to get to the bottom of the matter I cannot do without the aid of the two spies.”

“The headquarters?”

“Yes.  The underlings who risk their lives are always of subordinate importance.  It is, above all, necessary to find out the persons of higher rank who prudently contrive to keep themselves in the background.”

“I wish you success.”

“Before going to Antwerp, whither M. Penurot is to accompany me to-morrow, I should like to make a report to the Imperial Chancellor.  May I ask you to let me have a boat to-morrow morning to go to Flushing?”

“Certainly.  You can have any boat you like.”

“Then I should like the steam pinnace.”

“Perhaps you know whether the Chancellor intends to stay long at Flushing?”

“I cannot say.  In many ways Antwerp would certainly be a better place; but he has gone to Flushing to make a demonstration.”

“To make a demonstration?” repeated the Commander in a tone of astonishment.

“The English, of course, know that he is there, and his presence at Flushing is bound to strengthen their belief that our main base of operations will be the mouth of the Schelde.”

“Is it not surprising that our Chancellor is always at the centre of operations, though he is neither a general nor an admiral?”

“We have seen the same before in the case of Bismarck.  If we follow the history of the wars of 1864, 1866, and 1870-71 we get the impression that Bismarck was in like manner the soul of all the operations, although his military title was only an honorary one.”

“That is true; but the circumstances are essentially different.  Bismarck was a trained official, diplomatist, ambassador, before he became Chancellor.  His authority was great in military matters, independently of the generals; but our new Chancellor comes from quite a different sphere.”

“But he has the power of a strong personality, and it is that which turns the scale in all great matters.  The fine instinct of the people feels that the Emperor has chosen rightly, and the Chancellor’s general popularity insures him powerful support even against the generals.  Besides, everyone must admire his practical understanding and his wide range of vision.  Is not the occupation of Antwerp a fresh proof of it?  The rest of Belgium is occupied by the French army, but the Chancellor has arranged with the French Government for us to hold Antwerp, since our fleet is in the Schelde.  And I am sure we shall never give it up again.”