He knew I knew it was the German launch as certainly as he did.
"How can they have patched her boiler ?" I asked.
"How many beans make five?
They've done it, and there she goes! No other launch on the lake can make that speed! I've heard the British railway people have a launch or two, but they're small enough to have traveled down the line on ordinary trucks.

That's the German launch and Schillingschen as surely as we stand here!" We waited there until dawn, arguing at intervals, not daring to light a fire, nor caring to sleep, Coutlass sitting apart and laughing every now and then like a hyena.
"If the men weren't so dead beat I'd be for carrying on, said Fred.
"What's the use ?" argued Brown.

"We can't catch the bally launch, can we?
Soon as it's daylight they'd see us, like as not.

I hope to get drunk once more before I die! Schillingschen 'ud run us down, an' good-by us!" "I'd say follow them if the men could make it," Will agreed.

"But what's the odds?
It's us they're after.