He has nothing of the races of Northern Europe about him.
But whoever and whatever he may be, this man abducted Thomas Roch--and me with him--with no good intention, I'll be bound.
But what I should like to know is, has he acted as the agent of a foreign power, or on his own account?
Does he wish to profit alone by Thomas Roch's invention, and is he in the position to dispose of it profitably?
That is another question that I cannot yet answer.

Maybe I shall be able to find out from what I hear and see ere I make my escape, if escape be possible.
The _Ebba_ continues on her way in the same mysterious manner.

I am free to walk about the deck, without, however, being able to go beyond the fore hatchway.

Once I attempted to go as far as the bows where I could, by leaning over, perceive the schooner's stem as it cut through the water, but acting, it was plain, on orders received, the watch on deck turned me back, and one of them, addressing me brusquely in harsh, grating English, said: "Go back! Go back! You are interfering with the working of the ship!" With the working of the ship! There was no working.
Did they realize that I was trying to discover by what means the schooner was propelled?
Very likely, and Captain Spade, who had looked on, must have known it, too.

Even a hospital attendant could not fail to be astonished at the fact that a vessel without either screw or sails was going along at such a speed.