'I don't know,' I answered. 'Jorgensen said last night that he'd be able to get in touch again by radio at nine this morning.'
'We'll be at the whaling station by then, won't we?' Curtis said.
'Just about,' I replied.
'What is this about Kaptein Lovaas?' I turned. It was Dahler. He had got down from his perch on the chartroom roof and was standing over me where I sat in the cockpit. His hand was plucking agitatedly at the cloth of his jacket.
'He's the captain of one of the Bovaagen catchers,' I said. 'He has information for us that may have a bearing on Farnell's death. Why — do you know him?' I asked.
'Yes, I know him.' I watched his hand slowly clench into a fist. 'Kaptein Lovaas!' He hissed the name out between clenched teeth. Then suddenly he caught at my shoulder. 'Be careful of him, Mr Gansert — he is dangerous, you know. He is a violent man, and he is not straight.' He turned to Jill. 'He worked for your father once, Miss Somers. But not for long. I remember your father saying at the time "If there was not a skytter in all Norway, I would not employ Paal Lovaas".'
'Why?' Jill asked.
.'For many reasons. But chiefly because he killed a man. Nothing was proved. His crew were all so frightened of him, they said the fellow was washed overboard. But your father was certain Lovaas had killed him. He had his sources of information. Lovaas had violent rages. Once, on a factory ship in the Antarctic, he was said to have chased a man with a.flensing knife for bungling the winching up of one of his whales.' He gripped my shoulder. 'What does Lovaas know about Farnell's death?'
There was no point in not telling him. 'He says he's got a man on board who was with Farnell at the time of his death. This fellow, Hans Schreuder, was trying to get to-'
'Hans Schreuder?'