'Lovaas was 'ere only an our an' a 'alf back. 'E'll be on is way up inter the mountings by now.' He went to the window and peered out. The rain was little more than a light mist. 'If it's snowin' up in the valley they'll be orl roight. But if it ain't snowin'.' He shrugged his shoulders. 'Listen, Mr Gansert. Oi'm goin' after Peer. Can you ski?'
I nodded. 'I'm pretty fair,' I said.
'Okay. I'll be at the ship in half an hour. I'll 'ave rucksacks, skis, food — everyfink. What size boots do you take?'
I told him. His air of command had taken me by surprise. Before the next few hours were out Alf Sunde was to give me several surprises. 'We gotter move fast,' he said as he went through the front door and turned back towards the bridge. 'Yer'll want light oilskins an' warm clo'ves,' he said. 'Got a gun?'
'Yes,' I replied. 'I've got two Smith and Wesson three-eights.'
'Bring 'em bo'f.'
'Good God!' I said. 'Lovaas wouldn't risk a shooting.'
'Wouldn't 'e?' He laughed. 'Not normally 'e wouldn't. But this is different. From wot I've gavvered o' this business it's big enough fer 'im ter go a'tside the law an' get away wiv it. Wot's the deaf of a few men when a new industry's at stake, you just tell me that?'
I remembered the scene that night in the whaling factory. Sundt was right. Lovaas, knowing what the prize was, would stick at nothing. 'I'll bring the guns,' I said.
We parted in the square and I hurried back to the ship. Jill was leaning against the rail with Curtis as I stepped on board. 'Where is he?' she asked. 'Captain Lovaas left over an hour ago with Halvorsen, his mate, and one of his men — a man named Gaarder. They had rucksacks and skis. What's happened, Bill?'
'Farnell's gone up into the mountains,' I said. I glanced round the deck. 'Where's Dahler?' I asked.
'He's gone,' Curtis answered. 'He caught the steamer.'
'Back to Bergen?' I asked.
'No. It went up the fjord towards Flamm.'
'Flamm?' The name meant something to me. I dived into the chartroom and looked at the map. Jill and Curtis crowded round me. Flamm was at the head of Aurlandsfjord. And from Flamm there was a mountain railway which had joined the main Bergen-Oslo line at Myrdal. From Myrdal he was within an hour's run of Finse. I swung round. 'Can you two ski?'
'Yes,' said Jill.
'A bit,' Curtis replied.
'Right. As soon as I've got my things together, Dick will run you up to Flamm. You may catch up with Dahler there. If so, don't let him see you. If he's gone, take the next train to Myrdal and from there catch the Oslo train to Finse. If my guess is right, you'll pick up Dahler's train there — or if not Dahler's, Jorgensen's. Wait at Finse for them. Understand?'
Curtis nodded. But I saw an obstinate look come into Jill's face. 'Where are you going?'
'Sunde and I are going up into the mountains.'
'I'm coming with you,' she said.
'No.' She began to argue, but I stopped her. 'You'll only slow us up. We've got to move fast. We've got to catch Lovaas up before he gets to Farnell. Oh, for God's sake!' I cried as she started to argue again. 'Do as I say. Follow Dahler. I know what Lovaas is up to. But I don't understand Dahler's game. For all I know he may be the more dangerous of the two.' I went down to my cabin then, calling for Dick. 'Dick,' I said. 'You'll stay with the boat. Run Jill and Curtis up to Flamm and then return here. Lie off in the fjord and keep watches. Wilson and Carter will remain with you. Don't move from here for any message whatever.'
I reached down into the bottom drawer of a locker and brought out the two service revolvers. I saw his eyebrows lift. 'Okay,' he said. 'You'll find me lying off wherever the water's shallow enough to take my hook. If you want to come aboard at night flick me G-E-O-R-G-E on a torch.'
'Right,' I said. I opened my wallet. 'Here's fifty thousand kroner. Give Curtis twenty and Jill ten. Keep the rest yourself. If you want Ulvik, his number is Bergen 156 102.'
I was running through drawers, taking out things I needed — socks, sweaters, gloves, oilskins. 'Get me some cigarettes, matches, chocolate and a half bottle of whisky,' I told Dick. 'And a couple of candles. They're in the galley. There's a small torch there, too.'
In five minutes I was ready with everything jumbled into an old kitbag. I dumped it over the side on to the quay. 'Let go for'ard,' Dick ordered. Wilson ran to the warps. Jill came towards me. 'Good luck!' she said. Her grey eyes were clouded as though with pain. 'Please God you reach him in time,' she whispered. Then suddenly she leaned forward and kissed me on the mouth. 'Thank you,' she said softly and turned quickly away.
'Let go aft,' Dick called to Wilson. The engine came to life with a roar. I turned to Curtis. 'I'm relying on you to catch up with Dahler,' I said. 'Don't follow him if he goes to Bergen. Go on to Finse. I want you there, between us and Jorgensen.'
'Okay,' he said.
'I'll get in touch with you at the hotel at Finse just as soon as I can.'
