I had been thinking the same thing. I suddenly made up my mind. It was a long time since I'd had to do things this way. I helped myself to a cigarette and pushed the tin across to the others. 'It will be high tide in about an hour,' I said. 'That means the current will be slack in the cutting behind the whaling station. We leave our berth here and make a show of putting on sail as though we were off to Fjaerland. Once outside the islands, we double back and drift up the cut behind the factory. We wait for Sunde there.'
Curtis nodded. 'You're gambling on Sunde having rowed to Bovaagen.'
Tin certain there should have been two boats in that inlet we saw this afternoon,' I said. 'That length of rope trailing in the water-'
'I quite agree,' Curtis said. 'But Lovaas may have the same idea.'
'Quite possibly.'
He grinned.
'Right,' I said. 'Dick. Will you go and collect Wilson and Carter from Hval To! Shout to them. Tell them we're sailing. I want Lovaas to know. Get the idea? Then have the engine started. Curtis. You go up to the Kiellands' place. See the steward or the secretary of the company. Check that there should be two boats in that inlet. Also, make certain that Sunde hasn't returned,'
As they hurried on to the deck, I turned to Jill. She was sitting with her elbows on the table and her chin resting on her hand. 'As soon as we've got Sunde,' I said, 'we'll make for Fjaerland.'
She looked up at me. 'I shall be glad when all this is over,' she said. She looked past me and stared unseeingly at the emergency lamp in its gimbals. I wondered what was in her mind. She sighed and took a sip at her drink. Then quite suddenly she said, 'It amounts to kidnapping him, doesn't it?'
'Sunde?' I said. 'Well, yes. Shall we say — protecting him from Lovaas. Don't let it worry you. I take full responsibility for it.'