Franz stole along like a rat till he
reached the centre of the dock. There he gave a great shout of defiance
... why, I learned later....
The _Lord Summerville_, which had, after all, beat us in by two days,
despite Captain Schantze's boast, was lying on the other side of our
dock. And her mate and several sailors thus became witnesses of what
happened.
The shout brought, of course, our few men who remained on watch, on
deck, and over on the dock after Franz ... who allowed himself to be
caught ... the dock was English ground ... the ship was German ... a
good point legally, as the canny Franz had foreseen.
His clothes were almost torn from his body.
Miller accidentally showed up, coming back from shore. And he joined in.
"Come back with us, you verfluchte _Alsatz_-Lothringer."
The Englishmen from the _Lord Summerville_ now began calling out, "Let
him alone!" and "I say, give the lad fair play!"
Some of them leaped down on the dock in a trice.
"Who the hell let him out?" roared the mate.
I stood on deck, holding my breath, and ready to bolt in case Franz
betrayed me. But nevertheless my blood was running high and happy over
the excitement I had caused by unlocking the door.
"No one let me out. I picked the lock. Will that suit you?" lied Franz,
protecting me.
"What's the lad been and done?" asked the mate of the _Lord
Summerville_.
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