are Apple peripheral-8 cables wired straight through?

[shack@crash.cts.com (Randy Shackelford)]

I have two Apple peripheral-8 cables, the kind that connects a IIgs to an IW
II, on hand and I wanted to use them with a switch box to connect a modem to
two machines. When I tried it, the modem didn't work. So I guess the cables
aren't wired straight through pin to pin. Is that so or is something else 
wrong?
--
Randy Shackelford                                "That's right, keep dancing
shack@crash.cts.com                               on the minefield"
                                                                  -Al Bundy