What the devil...?
Harding chuckled. I thought youd be surprised.
Surprised isnt the word, said Denison. Confounded is more like it. How long is this thing?
A bit over nine feet, taking in the stock. The barrel is about seven feet.
Denison looked down at the monstrous object and bent to peer at the bore. He measured it with his thumb and found it to be over an inch and a half. He put his hand under the muzzle and lifted. Its damned heavy. How the hell can you shoot a thing like this? You couldnt get it to your shoulder.
You certainly couldnt, agreed Harding. I estimate the weight as something over a hundred and twenty pounds. Itll fire about a pound and a half of shot.
Well, how do you shoot it?
Its a punt gun, said Harding. It lies on the foredeck of that punt. You can see that the breech ropes are attached they run through the ring bolts on the punt and take up the recoil. The stock is merely for aiming it; if you put your shoulder to it when firing youd end up with a broken shoulder.
Denison scratched his jaw. An impressive piece of artillery. Ive never heard of anything like this.
It was developed early in the nineteenth century, said Harding. The idea is that you lie flat in the punt and propel yourself with paddles rather like ping-pong bats. Its quite easy because once all the weight is in the punt it has a freeboard of only about four inches. You stalk the birds on the water going among the reeds and you aim by pointing the whole punt. When youre in range you fire and, God willing, get yourself a dozen birds.
Not very sporting, commented Denison.
Oh, it isnt as easy as youd think. Birds arent as easy to stalk as all that; they have more chance of escaping than you have of killing them.
What kind of cartridge does it use?
It doesnt. Harding grinned. Try going to a gunsmith some time and asking for quarter-bore cartridges hed think youd gone mad. If you want cartridges you make up your own. You use ordinary black powder well rammed and with your shot on top with some wadding; you put a detonator on this nipple I wont now because it makes quite a noise even without a charge in the barrel and you pull the trigger. Down goes the hammer on the nipple, the detonator explodes, flame shoots down the hole in the centre of the nipple and ignites the main charge. Bang!
And the whole punt recoils a few feet.
Youve got the idea, said Harding. The detonator is a modern touch. The originals used flint and steel very unreliable but with detonators you shouldnt have one misfire in a hundred.
Interesting, said Denison.
But no use without powder. Harding patted the heavy barrel. Id have liked to try it out. Like Mannermaa, Im not averse to roast duck.
Are you averse to sleep? Denison checked his watch. Im going to wake you in two hours for the second guard duty. Youd better get your head down.
Thirty-Two
Denison woke up because someone was shaking him. He moaned in protest and opened his eyes to see Diana bending over him. Wake up weve got a visitor.
He sat up and rubbed bis eyes. Who?
Come and see.
McCready was at the window, binoculars to his eyes. As Denison joined him he said, Its one of the characters from Kevo not the Yanks, the other crowd.
Denison saw the man walking along the edge of the marsh towards the hut. He was about four hundred yards away. Alone?
I havent seen anyone else, said McCready. This boy has his nerve, I must say.
Perhaps he doesnt know were here.
Then hes a damned fool, said McCready. And they dont send fools on jobs like this. Diana, stand behind the door with your gun.
The man tramped stolidly towards the hut. If it were not for his pack he would have looked like any holidaymaker on any beach. Within ten minutes he was within hailing distance and he put up his hands showing empty palms. Holding them up he came to a stop ten yards from the door and waited.
He knows were here, said McCready. He took a pistol from his pack and worked the action to put a round into the breech. He went to the door and held the pistol behind his back. If he comes in youll be behind him, he said to Diana, and opened the door.
The man still had, his hands raised as McCready said, What do you want?
I want to talk to Dr Harold Meyrick. The mans English was good but heavily accented. Denison tried to identify the accent but made nothing of it.
What if Dr Meyrick doesnt want to talk to you?
Why not let him make up his own mind? asked the man.
Whom shall I announce? asked McCready suavely.
Shall we say... Herr Schmidt?
McCready had no trouble with the accent. Id prefer Pan Schmidt and even then I dont like it. Schmidt isnt a Czech name.
The man shrugged. Many people in Czechoslovakia have German names. When McCready did not respond he said, My arms are getting tired.
You put them up, you pull them down but not just yet. McCready made up his mind. All right, Mr Smith; step into my parlour. He opened the door wide and stepped back. The man smiled as he came forward, his hands still high.
He walked into the hut and came to a dead stop four feet inside as McCready brought up the hand holding a gun. Diana closed the door behind him. Search him, said McCready.
Schmidt half-turned and smiled as he saw the pistol in Dianas hand. So many guns, he said. I am unarmed, of course.
Theres no of course about it, said McCready as Diana checked. When she had finished and found nothing McCready wagged the gun. Now take off your pack slowly.
Schmidt eased the pack from his shoulders and lowered it to the floor. Thats better, he said, flexing his arms. You people use guns too easily. Thats why I came with my hands up I didnt want to be shot by accident. Why did you shoot at me at Kevo?
We didnt, said McCready. You ran into another crowd.
You expect me to believe that?
I dont give a damn if you believe it or not but you started a war with the United States. I was watching it three of you against four Yanks. One of your chaps had a broken arm and an American had a bullet in his leg. I had a ringside seat on the other side of the river.
So? said Schmidt. The Americans also. He smiled pleasantly at Denison and then turned back to McCready. What Dr Meyrick carries must be very important,
And what is it to you?
Ive come to get it, said Schmidt composedly.
Just like that?
Just like that, Mr McCready. He grinned. You see that I know your name. In fact, I know the names of everyone here. Mrs Hansen, Dr Harding, Dr Meyrick and, of course, Miss Meyrick. It wasnt hard.
No doubt it wasnt, said McCready. But what makes you think that Dr Meyrick will give you anything?
Schmidt looked Denison in the eye. I should think he values the safety of his daughter. It is unwise to go treasure hunting while in possession of a greater treasure, Dr Meyrick.
Denison glanced at Lyn, then cleared his throat. But we have you, Mr Schmidt if thats your name.
Schmidt smiled and shook his head. I can see youre no tactician, doctor. You see, I am no treasure. I am sure Mr McCready is ahead of you in his thinking.
Youve got the place surrounded, then? said McCready.
Of course. There are more than three of us this time. Schmidt looked at his watch. The time is up in twenty-five no, twenty-four minutes.
From the window Harding said, He could be pulling a bluff. Ive seen no one.
The answer to that is easy, said Schmidt. Call my bluff. Im prepared to wait if I can sit down. He took a very slow step sideways and hooked a chair forward with his foot, never taking his eyes off McCreadys pistol.
McCready leaned against the table. All right, he said. Tell me what Meyrick has that interests you Czechs so much.
A pained look appeared on Schmidts face. Dont be stupid, McCready. He jerked his thumb at Denison. He babbled about it in Stockholm. He discovered what was in his fathers papers and where they were, and he talked about it to some Swedish friends. You ought to know scientists cant keep secrets. But then he realized exactly what he was talking about so he shut up and went back to England.
He stopped. McCreadys face was blank. Go on.
Why? asked Schmidt. You know the answers. By then it was too late; the secret was out. Nothing travels faster than the news of a scientific breakthrough. Scientists like to believe in what they call the community of ideas, so the news got around Sweden, to Germany and to Czechoslovakia.
And to the United States, commented McCready.
Schmidt hunched his shoulders. Everyone knows the reputation of old Merikken and everyone knows his history. The guess is that he put his papers somewhere for safe keeping. The way youre behaving leads us to think he buried them or had them buried somewhere in northern Finland. So its a treasure hunt, as I said, and youve got a map with a cross on it. That or the equivalent. He straightened. I want it.
McCready slanted his eyes towards Denison. You see what comes of talking too much. They were going to give in that was the plan but they must not collapse too easily because that would lead to suspicion. Lets be democratic, he said. Well vote on it. Harding?
I think hes bluffing, said Harding flatly. I dont think there is anyone out there. Tell him to go to hell.
Schmidt smiled but said nothing. McCready looked at Denison. What about you, Meyrick? You know the importance of this more than anyone.
Im not the only one to be considered, said Denison. Let him have what he wants.
Very wise, said Schmidt.
Shut up, said McCready unemotionally. Diana?
Im against.
McCready turned his head. His face was away from Schmidt and he winked at Lyn. What do you say?
I vote with my father.
McCready turned back to Schmidt. It seems I have the casting vote yours doesnt count.
It will. Schmidt nodded towards the window. My votes are out there.
I think youre going to have to prove that, said McCready. You might be bluffing and you might not, but Im going to call you regardless.
This is more dangerous than a game of poker.
McCready smiled. When you came in here you said you didnt want to be shot by accident, so my guess is that if you do have a loaded vote outside you wont use it too forcibly against this hut. You see, youre inside it, too.
Its your guess, said Schmidt.
And its your life. McCready raised his pistol. If one bullet comes into this hut youre dead. If I dont kill you Diana will. And theres always Harding in reserve.