"Yes," I agreed, "it would be well to mention that."
"Also," she said, "you would require to have all the details of this first plan so fully written out that he would not need to keep you to explain anything."
"You think of everything!" I cried with an admiration I made no pretence of concealing. "I shall go now and set to work."
"Do!" she cried, "and when Tiel comes in I shall tell him you are going to stay. I wonder what he will say!"
"I wonder too," said I. "But do you care what he says?"
"No," she replied, "because of course he won't say it. He will only think."
I went back to my room in a strange state of exhilaration for a man who had just decided to forgo the thing he had most looked forward to, and run a horrible risk instead. For I felt in my bones that uniform or no uniform I should be shot if I were caught. I put little trust in English justice or clemency. But, as I said before, when I am obstinate, I am very obstinate; and I was firmly resolved that if Wiedermann wanted me back on board to-night, he would have to call a guard and carry me! However, acting on Eileen's suggestions, I had little doubt I should convince him. And thereupon I set to work on my notes. By evening I had everything so fully written out and so clearly explained that I felt I could say with a clear conscience that even my own presence at a council of war could add no further information.
In the course of the day I had a talk with Tiel, and, just as Eileen had anticipated, he left one to guess at what was in his mind. He certainly professed to be glad I had changed my mind, and he thanked me with every appearance of cordiality.
"You are doing the right thing, Belke," he said. "And, let me tell you, I appreciate your courage."
There was a ring of evident sincerity in his voice as he said this, and whatever I might think of the man's moral character, a compliment from Tiel on one's courage was not a thing to despise.
In the late afternoon he set out to obtain a motor-car for the evening's expedition, but through what ingenious machinery of lies he got it, I was too busy to inquire.
Finally, about ten o'clock at night we sat down to a little supper, my pockets bulging with my notes, and my cyclist's overalls lying ready to be donned once more.