“Ah!” said the other.  “You must excuse me.  The sight of that uniform always gives me the jumps.”

He came forward to shake hands and as the light fell upon him I recognized the grand old seaman, perhaps the greatest sailor that Germany has ever produced or ever will, Admiral Von Tirpitz.

“My dear Admiral!” I said, warmly.  “I thought you were out of the country.  Our papers said that you had gone to Switzerland for a rest.”

“No,” said the Admiral.  “I regret to say that I find it impossible to get away.”

“Your Allied press,” interjected the count, “has greatly maligned our German patriots by reporting that they have left the country.  Where better could they trust themselves than in the bosom of their own people?  You noticed the cabman of our taxi?  He was the former chancellor Von Hertling.  You saw that stout woman with the apple cart at the street corner?  Frau Bertha Krupp Von Bohlen.  All are here, helping to make the new Germany.  But come, Admiral, our visitor here is much interested in our plans for the restoration of the Fatherland.  I thought that you might care to show him your designs for the new German Navy.”

“A new navy!” I exclaimed, while my voice showed the astonishment and admiration that I felt.  Here was this gallant old seaman, having just lost an entire navy, setting vigorously to work to make another.  “But how can Germany possibly find the money in her present state for the building of new ships?”

“There are not going to be any ships,” said the great admiral.  “That was our chief mistake in the past in insisting on having ships in the navy.  Ships, as the war has shown us, are quite unnecessary to the German plan; they are not part of what I may call the German idea.  The new navy will be built inland and elevated on piles and will consist—­”

But at this moment a great noise of shouting and sudden tumult could be heard as if from the street.

“Some one is coming,” said the admiral hastily.  “Reach me my Bible.”

“No, no,” said the count, seizing me by the arm.  “The sound comes from the Great Square.  There is trouble.  We must hasten back at once.”

He dragged me from the house.

We perceived at once, as soon as we came into the main street again, from the excited demeanour of the crowd and from the anxious faces of people running to and fro that something of great moment must be happening.

Everybody was asking of the passer-by, “What is loose?  What is it?” Ramshack taxis, similar to the one in which we had driven, forced their way as best they could through the crowded thoroughfare, moving evidently in the direction of the government buildings.

“Hurry, hurry!” said Von Boobenstein, clutching me by the arm, “or we shall be too late.  It is as I feared.”

“What is it?” I said; “what’s the matter?”

“Fool that I was,” said the count, “to leave the building.  I should have known.  And in this costume I am helpless.”