The Blue Ice

The cripple leaned on the chartroom roof to steady himself against the pitch of the ship. 'Bernt Olsen smuggled us out of Finse.' He thrust his head suddenly forward. 'Also he told me who had instructed the Germans to raid my house that night. You didn't know I knew about that, did you?'

'Your house was raided because you talked too much about what you pretended you were doing.'

'Mueller, your Bergen representative, had nothing to do with it. I suppose?'

'If he did, then he's paying for it with a six-year sentence for aiding the Germans.'

'For doing what you ordered him to do.'

'Det er logn.' In his excitement Jorgensen dropped into Norwegian. His face was flushed with anger.

'It is not a lie,' Dahler answered.

'Prove it then.'

'Prove it?' Dahler smiled. 'That is why I am here, Knut. I am going to prove it. I am going to prove that you ought to be doing the sentence that Mueller is serving now. When I've found Farnell-'

'Farnell is dead,' Jorgensen cut in, his voice sharp and controlled again.

Dahler didn't say anything after that. The curt reminder that Farnell was dead seemed to bring him up with a jolt. He turned and started to move back towards the companion way. But he stopped and looked round. 'Before you discuss his proposals, Mr Gansert,' he said quietly, 'remember that he worked for the Germans till the tide turned, just as hard as he worked for the British later.' And with that he disappeared down the companionway.

There was a sudden shout from Dick — 'Watch your course.' The boat's head was right up into the wind and canvas everywhere was slatting madly. Jorgensen paid her off on to course.

Then he sighed. 'That is what happens, Mr Gansert,' he said quietly, 'in a country that has been occupied.'

I made no comment and after a moment, he went on: 'Before the war Jan Dahler and I did business together. His tankers supplied my metal plant. Now-' He shrugged his shoulders. 'He was foolish. He helped some British agents and then went and talked too freely about it. And because Mueller was pro-German and informed against him, he blames me. And his escape from Finse.' He looked up at me. 'A German officer has admitted that the price of his escape was certain information they wanted. The information concerned new types of marine engines planned by my engineers. The plans were 'lost' when Norway was occupied. But Dahler knew about them because I'd promised to fit his tankers before accepting any other orders. And — well, there was a leakage and the plans were extracted from us.'

'And Dahler was responsible?' I asked.

'There's no proof — apart from the German officer who broke down under cross-examination by our Intelligence. But the demand for the plans was made just after Dahler's escape from Finse. That is why the authorities do not want him back in Norway.'

'What was he doing up at Finse?' I asked.

'Forced labour,' he answered. 'The Germans had some fantastic scheme for an ice dome on the Jokulen.' He pulled out a cigarette and lit it. 'You see how it is, Mr Gansert. To cover himself, he must make counter-allegations. And' — he hesitated — 'the trouble is that a man in my position is awkwardly placed under an occupation. I had to carry on, publicly showing friendship for the Germans, in order to work for the liberation of my country. If they did not trust me, then I should have ceased to be useful. Many people who do not know what I did secretly are prepared to believe that I was pro-German. That is why it makes me angry to hear a man like Dahler make wild accusations. I know how vulnerable my work has made me.' He smiled a trifle sadly. 'I thought it better that you know,' he said. And then he added, 'Now, what about running straight into Bergen and arranging things?'

I hesitated. Two things were occupying my mind. One was the information that at some period of the war Farnell had been up at Finse. The other was that Jorgensen was no longer dictating terms to B.M. & I., but seeking them. I glanced for'ard for an excuse to break off the conversation. Dick was hoisting the tops'l again and it was jammed. 'Hold it,' I called out to him. 'You haven't cleared the topping lift. We'll talk about this later,' I said to Jorgensen and hurried for'ard to give them a hand.

As soon as the tops'l had been set and everything made fast I took my watch below for food. I needed time to think over Jorgensen's change of attitude. Dahler was seated in the saloon when we came down. Jill poked her head in from the galley. 'Four is it?' she asked.

I nodded. I was looking at Dahler. He was rocking gently backwards and forwards with the movement of the ship. 'Bit hard on Jorgensen, weren't you?' I said.