The message was in plain English (according to war time regulations), and referred to a consignment of merchandise about to be dispatched from Leith to Ymuiden. On the duplicate was an official stamp "Passed by Censor."
"Has this been dispatched?" asked Entwistle.
"Yes," replied the postal official. "It was held back for three hours according to procedure when dealing with foreign cablegrams, and was sent off at 7.50 P.M. yesterday."
Entwistle, having provided himself with a copy, went to a desk in a secluded corner of the large room.
"Close bales 251 in number—" began the message.
Consulting his code-book (the identical one that he had taken from the spy von Eitelwurmer), Entwistle began his translation. "Close" signified "disguised," "bale" was the counterpart of "Q-boat," and so on. In ten minutes the secret message stood revealed as follows:—
"Q-boat disguised as U 251 left Leith on 9th for Hoorn Reefs.—VON PREUSSEN."
That was all—but sufficient to lure "Tough Geordie" Morpeth and his gallant comrades into a veritable death-trap.