had managed to plunge me into a confounded mess.

Naturally I was exasperated at the net results of my piece of gallantry.
I didn't care to be suspected; I wasn't anxious to have to lie. All
the same, a plausible explanation, offered without delay, appeared
essential. I should have wanted as much myself had I been guarding
Gibraltar port.

"Well, Mr. Bayne?"

"Well!" I retorted coolly. "I was just wondering if I should answer.
This is an infernal outrage, you know. You don't really think I'm a spy.
What you are doing is to give me a third degree on general principles.
If you'll excuse my saying so I think you ought to have more sense!"

"Oh, of course we ought to take you on trust," he agreed sardonically.
"But we can't I'm afraid. The fact is, we have had an experience or two
to shake our faith. The last time this steamer stopped here we caught a
pair of spies who didn't look the part any more than you do; and since
then we have rather stopped taking appearances as guarantees."

"All right, then," I responded. "I'll stretch a point since it is
war-time. I give you my word that I threw overboard a small bronze
paper-weight that was cluttering up my traps. There was nothing
surreptitious about it; the whole steamer might have seen me. Do you
care to take the responsibility of having me shot for that?"

"And I want to say, sir, that the gentleman is giving it to you
straight." An unexpected voice addressed the lieutenant at my back. "I
was standing at the door behind him that night, though he didn't know