'He's a good skytter, if that's what you mean,' Kielland answered. And then as I looked puzzled he said, 'Skytter is the same as your word shooter. We call our captains that because they always operate the harpoon gun. I am not interested in anything else. With Hval To and Hval Fern it is different. They are factory boats and I choose my captains. But Hval Ti belongs to Lovaas. He is his own master and sells his catches to us on a royalty basis.'
'So he does what he likes?' I said.
'On board his own ship — yes.'
'That explains it,' I murmured.
'Explains what, please?' Kielland was watching me with a puzzled expression.
'Some years ago I gather he was in trouble for killing a man.'
He nodded. 'I have heard something about it.'
'This lady is the daughter of Walter Somers — Petersen and Somers, one of the Sandefjord companies,' Jorgensen explained, nodding towards Jill.
'So!' Kielland's glance moved from Jorgensen to Jill.
'Mind if I use your telephone?' I asked.