'Why should I be surprised? The man's as crooked as an eel.' He turned suddenly. 'Look you now, don't be blaming me, man. The Arisaig is the only vessel we have on the Italian run. It was the best I could do. It's not every skipper who will take the chance of smuggling a deserter into the country.' A flicker of a smile creased the corners of his eyes. 'It wouldn't surprise me, you know, if you were to meet Mulligan again.'
'How's that?' I asked. His back was turned towards me and he was struggling into a dry pair of workman's corduroys. He did not answer. 'Look, Dave,' I said, 'what's this job you've got for me? Is it still available?'
'Yes, I think so,' he said. He pulled on a seaman's jersey. As his head emerged from the neck, his mouth was twisted in pain and the sweat ran down — his face. He put his cigarette back between his lips and drew in a great lungful of smoke. 'It's a good job, you know — mining, did I tell you?'
'Yes,' I said. 'You told me that in your letter.'
He nodded and forced his injured arm into his jacket. 'Come on now,' he said. 'Your way is the same as mine. I'll tell you about it as we go.' He stuffed some cigarettes into his pocket and transferred his case and lighter and a thick wallet from his sodden jacket to the one he had put on. His quick eyes glanced round the room. Then he opened the door. He seemed in a great hurry to be gone.
I followed him down the stairs. In the dark hallway he leaned over the banisters and shouted down into the basement for the girl. 'Just coming, Dave,' she answered. The tip of the cigarette glowed red as we waited. He was puffing at it nervously. The gloom of the little hall was lessened by the light from the street that entered by a dirty fanlight above the front door.
The girl's feet sounded hollow on the bare stairboards. I could — ear her quick, frightened breathing as she emerged from the basement. There's sandwiches and an old raincoat of father's,' she said, her voice breathless.
'Listen, Syl.' Dave's voice was a harsh whisper. 'Those clothes upstairs — burn them. Clean up everything. Leave nothing whatever to show that I returned — you understand? And when they come around asking questions, tell them I never came back. See that the old woman doesn't jabber.'
He turned to leave then, but the girl clung to him. 'Where can I get in touch with you?' she asked quickly.
'You can't.'