Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1929-05-23

chH understand tnat. arter lnR
weather you've had"
Eyes, Mister Officer. It's all right for
you TO see them In this condition, be-
cause you saw the storm yourself. but
later. II | meet some OF your com.
rades who didn't hli the blow that we
had. they may not take my word for
It That's what's worrying me-"
"Oh, don't worry, captain, III give
you memorandum explaining the
condition of your papers. You are
lucky to have saved your ship"
That memorandum was just what |
wanted There was no telling when
we might be searched again.
had the papers scattered all over
the cabin TO dry, and each time
handed one to him spat stream
OF tobacco Juice on the cabin floor.
He examined the papers with q prac
ticed eye and made entries In his
notebook. Each page In his book WAS
for ship and | could see that thirty
or forty pages had been used already.
Yes. he was an experienced officer.
When he came to the last document.
the one signed with the false sigma
ture of the British consul at Capen
hagen and sealed with a false British
imperial seal, and read the formal
statement that the lrmn's cargo OF
lumber WINS destined for the use Of
the British government In Australia.
he turned 10 me suddenly.
'These papers are all right, cap
tain"
In the excitement OF the moment |
suddenly swallowed my chew ut TO
hacco. | was afraid this might give
our whole sham away. So conghed
and cuughed as though with q bad
cold. trying to cover up what had hap
pened. What would British search
officer think Ii Norwegian skipper
got seasicki My mate Leudemann
was standing next to me holding the
log book | had told him to have Ii
ready In case the BritIsher should
want to examine It. Leudemnnn saw
there was something wrong with me.
and was quick-Witted enough to divert
the search officers attention. by hand
Ing him the book
"Oh. yes, the log" exclaimed the
officer, and opened the wet puges.
The qud Of tobacco seemed to be
moving up and down my gulet.
struggled with myself. and to show
an outward calm | said to Luedemann
In Norwegian:
II wish I'd had that officers camels-
hair cape and hood 1t would have
been fine to keep fellow warm while
up there north Of the Circle"
"For rain and spray. too" The
Engllshman spoke up In Norwegian
TO show that he knew the language.
You must admire how careful those
English are. The officer examined ev
cry page OF the log.
"How Is this, captain2" he ex-
claimed. "You were laid 0p three
weeks and half?"
There was q discrepancy In dates
which represented our wait after the
admiralty had ordered US not TO sail
because OF the return Of the suhma
rine, Deutschland. and the consequent
increased vigilance of the blockade
had not thought OF 1t. Here was the
one detail that we had neglected TO
provide for In our deliberately de
fui1nd prp rot Er1p hnd
been In the best OF health ! should
not have known what to reply. With
that tobacco guild running around In
side OF my body could only pray to
God for help
Again Leudemann saved the situa.
ton. He was little fellow and sim
ple-henrted, but greaf character
When bad times came. Leudemnnn
was at his best
I'VE didn't lie there for pleasure"
he said In his dry way as he looked up
at the big Engllshman. 1--WE had or.
ders from our owner not to sail until
we got word"
How so?"
Haven't you been warned then
about German cruIsers2"
whats fhat?p
Haven't you heard about the
Moewe and auxiliary cruiser. See
adlerf"
The search officer turned TO me.
"What about this that your mate
Is saying, captain?"
My stomach felt much better, now
that Lendemann had spoken. So
thought might as well give the Eng
iishman good dose.
fTO BE CONTINUED.)