A SUSPICIOUS FISHING-SMACK
A raw north wind swept over the island of Walcheren and the mouth of the West Schelde, ruffling into tiny waves the water of the broad stream, which in the twilight looked like a shoreless sea.
Only those acquainted with the ground knew that the flashing lights of the beacons at Flushing on the right and at Fort Frederik Hendrik on the left marked the limits of the wide mouth of the harbour.Here, in 1809, when Holland was under the rule of Napoleon Bonaparte, a powerful English fleet had entered the Schelde to attack Flushing, and take the fortress.In the centre, between the two lights, which were about three miles apart, the German cruiser Gefion lay tossing at anchor.On the deck stood Heideck, who on his return had been promoted to major and appointed to the intelligence department for the coast district of Holland.
In the afternoon he had seen a vessel entering the Schelde, which the pilot had identified as one of the fishing-smacks plying between the Shetland Islands and the Dutch ports.Heideck had informed the captain of the Gefion of his suspicion that the smack might be intended for another purpose than trading in herrings.
The little vessel had put in on the left bank, between the villages of Breskens and Kadzand, and Heideck decided to row across to it.
Six marines and four sailors, under the command of a mate, manned one of the Gefion's boats, and set out for the left bank in the direction of the suspected vessel.It cost the oarsmen, struggling with the tide and wind which came howling from the sea, nearly half an hour's hard work before they saw the dark hull of the smack emerging clearly outlined before them.A hoarse voice from on board asked what they wanted.
"His Majesty's service!" answered Heideck, and, as the boat lay to, he threw off his cloak, so as to spring on deck more easily.Three men, in the dark, woollen smock and tarpaulined hat of coast fishermen, approached him and, in answer to his inquiry for the master, told him, in an unintelligible mixture of Dutch and German, that he had gone ashore.
"His name?"
"Maaning Brandelaar."
"What is the name of this vessel?"
"Bressay."
The answers were given with hesitation and sullenly, and the three men showed such evident signs of irritation that Heideck felt they would have gladly thrown him overboard had it not been for the respect inspired by his uniform.
"Where from?" he asked.
"From Lerwick."
"Where to?"
"We are going to sell our herrings.We are respectable people, Herr major.""Where are you going to sell your herrings?""Where we can.The skipper has gone to Breskens.He intended to be back soon."Heideck looked round.The smack had put to in a little bay, where the water was quiet.The village of Breskens and the little watering-place, Kadzand, were both so near that the lighted windows could be seen.It was nine o'clock--rather late for the business which Maaning Brandelaar intended to transact at Breskens.
Heideck sent the marines on deck with orders to see that no one left the ship before the captain returned.He then ordered a lantern to be lighted to examine below.It was a long time before the lantern was ready, and it burned so dully that Heideck preferred to use the electric lamp which he always carried with him as well as his revolver.He climbed down the stairs into the hold and found that the smell of pickled herrings, which he had noticed on deck, was sufficiently explained by the cargo.In the little cabin two men were sitting, drinking grog and smoking short clay pipes.Heideck greeted them courteously and took a seat near them.
They spoke English with a broad Scotch accent, and used many peculiar expressions which Heideck did not understand.They declared they were natives of the island of Bressay.Heideck gathered from their conversation that the smack belonged to a shipowner of Rotterdam, whose name they appeared not to know or could not pronounce.They were very guarded and reserved in their statements generally.Heideck waited half an hour, an hour--but still no signs of the captain.He began to feel hungry, and throwing a piece of money on the table, asked whether they could give him anything to eat.
The fishermen opened the cupboard in the wall of the cabin and brought out a large piece of ham, half a loaf of black bread, and a knife and fork.Heideck noticed two small white loaves in the cupboard amongst some glasses and bottles."Give me some white bread," said he.The man who had brought out the eatables murmured something unintelligible to Heideck and shut the cupboard again without complying with his request.His behaviour could not help striking Heideck as curious.He had, as a matter of fact, only asked for white bread because the black was old, dry, and uncommonly coarse; but now the suspicion forced itself upon him that there was some special meaning behind the rude and contemptuous manner in which his request had been received.
"You don't seem to have understood me," he said."I should like the white bread.""It belongs to the captain," was the reply; "we mustn't take it.""I will pay for it.Your captain will certainly have no objection."The men pretended not to hear.
Heideck repeated his request in a stern and commanding tone.The men looked at each other; then one of them went to the cupboard, took out the white bread, and set it on the table.Heideck cut it and found it very good.He ate heartily of it, wondering at the same time why the men had been so disobliging about it at first.
When he took up the bread again to cut himself off a second piece, it occurred to him that it was remarkably heavy.He cut into the middle and, finding that the blade of the knife struck on something hard, he broke the loaf in two.The glitter of gold met his eyes.
He investigated further and drew out, one after the other, thirty golden coins with the head of the Queen of England upon them.
Thirty pounds sterling had been concealed in the loaf.
