Jack shrugged.

"Can't be helped," he said quietly.

Now Harris advanced and cut the cards quickly.

As he picked up the upper half of the deck, he turned his shoulder slightly so that the others, for the moment, might not see what he had cut. He glanced at the bottom card. It was the six of diamonds.

Deftly, Harris shuffled the cards with his hands. Adept in the art of trickery, though the others did not know it, he had placed the cards in such position that he knew almost identically where the high and low cards were.

Like a flash his hand pa.s.sed across the bottom of the deck and when it was withdrawn the six of diamonds had disappeared. Then he turned to the others and exposed:

The two spot of spades!

"I lose," he said quietly.

Harris' movements had been so quick that they had not been perceived by the others.

Jack was the first to extend a hand.

"I'm sorry," the lad said quietly. "I was in hopes that it would be me."

As he shook hands with the others, Harris kept his left hand behind him; for in it reposed the card he had palmed--the six of diamonds, which would have allowed him to go with the others and would have put Jack in his place.

As he turned, Harris slipped the card quickly into his pocket, that it might not be accidentally seen. Then, he knew, he was safe.

Jack picked up the deck.

"I shall keep these, Harris," he said, "that I may always remember a brave man."

All this time the thundering on the door of the companionway had continued.

"Come," said von Ludwig, "we must delay no longer. Already it is growing light."

He hastened along the deck to where the high-powered motor boat lay covered with a tarpaulin. Quickly the little craft was lowered over the side, von Ludwig first inspecting it.

"Plenty of water and provisions," he said quietly. He turned to Harris.

"It is time to say goodbye," he said quietly. "You are a brave man.

This gallant action shall be known to the world."

"Goodbye, sir," said Harris, quietly.

"Remember," said von Ludwig, "there is always a chance that you may escape. If it comes, make the most of it. Goodbye."

He pressed Harris' hand and pa.s.sed over the side of the vessel.

As Frank and Jack shook hands with Harris, the latter squeezed Harris'

hand affectionately. The latter smiled.

"I had promised myself another bout with you some day," he said. "My only regret is that it is not possible now."

A moment more Jack was in the motor boat and it moved away. Harris drew his revolvers and mounted guard over the companionway, the door of which now had begun to splinter.

"An hour is what you needed," he said quietly. "You'll get it!"

CHAPTER XXIX

A CHAMPION Pa.s.sES

Harris laid one of his revolvers on the deck, reached in his pocket and produced the six of diamonds. He looked at it closely in the half darkness and a smile pa.s.sed over his face.

"I suppose I'm a fool," he muttered to himself, "but someway I couldn't help it. I was afraid Jack would cut the low card. I wouldn't have done it for one of the others, but Jack, well, he's a boy after my own heart."

Harris replaced the card in his pocket; then thought better of his action, drew it forth again and sent it spinning off across the sea.

"There," he said quietly, "goes all evidence that I cheated."

He picked up the revolver he had laid on the deck and moved a short distance from the companionway.

There was an extra violent crash and it seemed that the door must burst open.

"Another one like that will do the work," said Harris, calmly.

He took up what he considered a strategic position and produced his watch. This he lay on the deck and sat down beside it.

"May as well be comfortable," he remarked.

Again there was a crash and the door of the companionway burst open. A German head appeared.

"Crack!" Harris had fired without moving from his sitting posture.

The German head disappeared and there was a cry of alarm from below.

"One down, I guess," said Harris, quietly, to himself.

For some moments there was silence, broken occasionally, however, by the dull sound of voices from below.

"Talking it over, eh?" muttered Harris. "Well, I'll still be here when you try again."

It was perhaps fifteen minutes later that a cap appeared in the opening. Again Harris fired. The cap did not disappear and Harris fired twice more quickly.

The cap disappeared.

"Guess I got another one," said Harris.