Part 16 (1/2)
”Have you lost any s.h.i.+pments lately?” Joe Matt inquired.
”Not since the furs were s.n.a.t.c.hed. All the same, I'm keeping my fingers crossed.”
”You don't think the river pirates would strike twice in the same area?”
the blindman scoffed. ”Especially with police on the lookout.”
”I wouldn't put anything past those boys!” Hank retorted as he studied a bill of lading. ”I'm taking no chances! Not with another valuable s.h.i.+pment due any day.”
”Another box of furs?”
”That's right.”
”Coming through around the 24th,” the blindman remarked casually.
”That happens to be the date,” Hank admitted, gazing at the other rather sharply. ”But I don't remember saying anything about it. Fact is-”
”You told me the other day.”
”Then it was a slip of the tongue,” Hank replied. ”You'll do me a favor not to speak of the date. It's confidential information.”
”Sorry,” Joe Matt apologized. ”I didn't know there was any secret about it.”
”Every precaution is being taken to safeguard the s.h.i.+pment. Special police will guard the docks. I got nothing to worry about-and yet I do it anyhow.”
”You're jittery,” the blindman said, starting away. ”Well, see you later.
Come on, Rudy!”
After he had tapped off down the dock, Brad and Dan lingered a few minutes longer. Hank, however, seemed preoccupied. Dan asked him if he knew any sailor by the name of Frisk f.a.gan.
”No, I don't,” he answered a trifle irritably. ”Now I wish you boys wouldn't pester me. I got work to do.”
Thus dismissed, Brad and Dan took themselves off.
”Hank was out of sorts because we overhead Joe Matt mention that 24th s.h.i.+pping date,” Dan remarked as they tramped along together. ”Say, that's funny!”
”What is, Dan?”
”Those two dates being the same!”
”What two dates?”
”Don't you recall?” Dan demanded excitedly. ”That coded message Jacques had in his pocket mentioned the 24th!”
”The note included the numerals 24,” Brad admitted. ”But what does that prove?”
”Nothing perhaps. Then again, it may mean plenty!” Dan spoke with quiet conviction. ”I know one thing. I'm really going to work on that message.
I'll break the code if it's humanly possible!”