White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1929-10-18
CHAPTER xvII-Continued

CHAPTER XVII-Continued
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II am glad to see you, sir. Why are
we treated like this? And are prison
ers of war to be tried by civilians?"
"Count," he replied, "public opinion
forces It. The public has demanded
that within three days of your arrival
In this country you must reveal where
you sank the Wairuna and why you
sank her without saving single life,
and also where your ship Seeadler is."
"But l know nothing about the
Wairuna," replied. II did not sink
her. In every single capture that we
made, ! took the crews aboard my
ship, kept them there until we were
overcrowded, and then sent them
home"
"You say you didn't sink the Wal.
runa?"
"Nol Nor ever even heard of herl"
evil you give me your word of hon.
or on this?"
II give It to you now"
"Very well, count, that Is good"
"But why do you keep my men In
chains7"
1--WE want to know where the See
adler u.s."
II want to tell you, sir, that my
men will die before they will say any
thing. They have orders from me not
to talk. If anyone is to tell anything
about the Seeadler, 1t is L You would
give your men the same command un.
der the same circumstances. and you
would want them to obey as my men
are obeying."
"Yon are the one to ask, count,
about information of the SeeadIerY
eyes,"
"Then tell me where she Is"
"Captain, may sink deep in the
earth If ever betray my crew. re-
spect you. would not put such a
question to you If you were my pris-
oner."
"Count," he replied, ''your men have
set an example to our sailors under.
stand and appreciate your attitude
So long as your men show themselves
to be disciplined sailors, they will have
excellent treatment. And | hope that
you, yourself. will have a pleasant
stay with us and find nothing of which
to complain. Gentlemen" he ad.
dressed the judges, "the court martial
Is over"
My four men we're taken back to
their Island, and Kircheiss and | to
| ours.
At Motuihi things were not SO bad
The food was good and discipline was
not too strict. The camp conman
der, Turner by name, seemed very
proud to have couple of real war
prisoners in his charge. He had real
~ excellent cause to be pleased. Now
that he had enemy naval officers In his
camp, he was raised to the rank OF
lieutenant colonel, and his force of
guards was Increased to eighty men
It likewise seemed to add to his dig
nifty that he had among his captives
some one whom he could call count
The principal annoyance now was the
strict watch they felt obliged to keep
over us to prevent our escape Head.
quarters at Auckland had to be tele>
phOned every other hour and told that
everything was all right. Colonel Tur
ner was also provided with a fine new
meteor boat. SO that, If anything went
wrong with the telephone wire, he
would still have means of swift COM
munication with the mainland
"By Joe, what fine motor boat" !
exclaimed when saw 1t.
"Maybe we could use It," comment
ed Kircheiss.
You couldn't blame the authorities
for being bit nervous. They stih did
not know where the remainder of the
Seeadler's crew was, and were worried
about possible raid to iiberate US
Likewise Kircheiss and had the idea
of escape buzzing furiousiy In our
heads In fact, the prisoners on
Motuihi before we arrived had al.
ready thought OF Jail break. They
had formed no definite plan, but had
gathered materials that might be use
full.
One had contrived to fitch and hide
away number of tools. Another had
found a derelect floating mine and
taken the fuses from II and also
large quantity Of gnncotton. which he
slowed in his mattress lie slept on
the gnncoitoD every night Another
had succeeded In finding charts OF
the harbor With the location Of the
mine fields. In any plan OF flight. ]
could. by including the men who had
collected them huve these materials
at my disposal.
The motor boat was. of course, the
center Of all scheming. The idea was
TO sail away In II with an abIe-inuited
company Of prison camp comrades
capture sailing ship, and go bucca
neerina again One of the prisoners. y
young fellow. was motor expert The
camp commander had assigned him 10
look after the engine ~ his motor
boat So he was one man whom we
would hive TO have with us
Although there were sentries all
over the island we were sure we could
invent some way of Outwitting them
We would have to stow the boat with
9 large amount of supplies This, GU.
motor expert could do while pretend
ing to tinker with the engine. He
could hide the material away In the
dir chnmhers of the boat. Much more
difficult WIS the job Of collecting all
the food weapons. and other equip