The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1941-08-22
CHAPTER XVII

Benning woke from q brief fret
full sleep and went to a portfolio.
There was bright sun rising across
smooth sea. He calculated from
the speed Of the freighter that the
craft must be well down the coast
Of Virginia, perhaps off North Caro-
lima and not far from Cape Hat
teras. For a time last night he
had fiirted with the desperation of
jumping overheard on the chance OF
making shore. Now he had given
up hopes Of being rescued by the
Navy.
He was mulling at the portfolio
when figure passed along the boat
deck close to his eyes. The fellow
wore a black mustache, dark horn
trimmed glasses; his clothes were
seedy and his shoulders sagged. But
the profile was not to be mistaken.
"You knew Bravot was aboard?"
Benning said to Fincke.
The Austrian hotly admonished,
Don't talk so much, Bromlitzl How
many times have ! got to tell you
not to mention names?"
81 thought we were clear of all
that trouble" Benning retorted.
"Not with a brand-new crew on
the boat. We still got to watch our
tongues"
"You think these sailors aren't
Bravot's mem"
"Just use your bean, Bromlitz.
Sailors wouldn't hardly sign up to
get blown to hell, if they knew
the score"
81 presume" Benning sneered,
"the captain and crew don't even
know what their cargo ISL"
"The skipper knows, and few of
his good men. For two years
Schmolz has been laying his plans
for just this cruise"
The door of their cabin banged
suddenly open. A chunky man with
a squarish, rough-hewn, leering face
staggered in. The fellow wore
dirty cotton suit and an officers
cap, and bristled with authority and
short temper.
''Who are you two?" he demand
ed, searching first Fincke's face,
| then Benning's.
The Van Hassek spy leaped to his
| feet and gave the Identification for
mula. Benning was more leisurely
in rising to identify himself. He
guessed that the intruder was
Schmolz, skipper of the ship.
81 don't like your looksl" the fell
| low blurted. fixing Benning with
glinting green eyes.
Don't worry about him, Cap
tain," Fincke promptly interviewed.
'He's a major-the two Of us been
working together in the United
| States"
Schmolz rubbed a caulifiowered
ear ruminatively and gave Benning
a parting glare in which there was
mingled distrust and dislike.
''Major or no major, there's some
thing about your looks don't like"
he grumbled.
Their noon meal was brought in
by an American deckhand, Grimes.
After luncheon, Fincke went out on
deck for exercise. With the compli-
cation of Bravot's presence on the
ship, Benning knew he must keep
to cover during daylight. Also that
he must strike against the Van Has
SEX spymaster without delay If he
expected to survive this cruise for
many days. @9
Benning sweltered in the torrid lit
| tie cabin through an insufferable
day. With full darkness he examined
the mechanism of his automatic pis-
toll and went out on deck. AS he sus-
pected, Bravot was living in the cap
tain's quarters. Looking in the port
hole he saw Bravot sitting alone
on his berth, his face cold and i'm
| perturbable as he listened to the
news from the Texas front.
Blare Of the radio blotted out 9TH
er sounds on the deck and Benning
was not conscious of the figure driv-
ing down on him along the dimly
lighted deck until stout fingers
closed on the lapel Of his coat.
He turned to see Schmolz glazing
at him out Of eyes that seethed with
rage.
"See here, Schmolzl" Benning
shot back holly, "I'm not one of
your deckhands. Take your hands
of my coatl If you object to my
listening to the war news over your
radio, why don't you post an order
to that effect?"
Listen all you want to-" Schmolz
mumbled, cooling perceptibly at the
rebuff and releasing Benning's col
lar. "But keep away from in front
of my stateroom after this. / don't
allow nobody to do that" 4
As Schmolz staggered into his
room with muttered imprecation,
Benning returned to his cabin.
For some time Benning waited in
tense readiness for eventuality. He
knew that If Schmolz communicated
his suspicious to Bravot, prompt and
disastrous investigation was sure to
1 folloW.cT W
ITO BE CONTINUEDj