Mystery on Southampton Water

by Freeman Wills Crofts

  ‘We can’t risk going to their harbour,’ he said. ‘We’ll land on the shore here. It won’t kill us if we get our feet wet.’

  ‘No trouble about getting ashore,’ Brand returned, ‘but what about getting aboard again? It’s about high water now and if we’re too long we’ll find the launch high and dry on the shingle.’

  ‘We’ll anchor a bit out and wade in. It’ll be all right.’

  Brand raised no further question but pulled straight in. King moved up into the bow and seized a boat-hook.

  ‘Steady,’ he said presently, and then, ‘Back water a stroke.’

  Brand obeyed and King dropped the anchor overboard.

  ‘’Bout two feet of water,’ the latter said. ‘Now let’s see we have everything. Got your torches? Right. You take the ladder and I’ll manage the rest.’

  ‘Right,’ Brand said in his turn. ‘Go ahead.’

  They were glad it was summer when, having taken off their shoes and rolled up their trousers, they stepped into the water. They had not, however, far to wade. The beach shelved quickly and they were soon on dry land. There was still a narrow, shingle-covered band between the water and the foot of the low clay cliffs, and along this they walked. Presently the cliffs fell away, and then the wall of the works loomed up before them. King selected a spot and placed his ladder and mat—there was glass on the coping—and in a few moments both men were inside. King had evidently memorised the map, for he led the way without hesitation.

  The space on which they had descended was waste ground, being littered with old planks and barrels and the debris inseparable from such a plant. To their left was the gable of a large building, and they moved along it away from the boundary.

  ‘This is an old building,’ King whispered, ‘but the next one, a few feet further on, is one of the new ones.’

  They passed on till they came to the new shed. It was brick built and of considerable length, but neither very wide nor very high. A row of windows with sills about eight feet from the ground, were faintly illuminated, but through muffled glass. Above was an elaborate system of ventilators. From within came the heavy rumble of moving machinery.

  ‘The new kilns,’ King whispered.

  As he spoke they kept on moving cautiously along the shed wall. Now they realised the advantage of the moonlight. They could see about them without using their torches.

  There was no door in the long side by which they were walking, nor in the gable which they presently reached, though a conveyor passed through the latter to feed an adjoining bin. The second long side was also unbroken save for windows, but at the opposite gable they came on the door.

  It was a large oaken gate, strongly built and containing a wicket fitted with a Yale lock. King clicked his tongue with annoyance when he saw that the wicket was locked and that his skeleton keys were useless.

  ‘We can’t get in,’ he whispered. ‘Come and let’s look at the second shed.’

  With great care they crept forward to the second new building. Here they found that similar conditions obtained. The shed, apparently identical in size with that they had just left, was also locked. From it also came the same sound of moving machinery.

  Brand whispered his disappointment, but King shook his head. ‘Never mind,’ he breathed; ‘I half expected this. We’ll get in next time.’ He paused for a moment irresolutely, then went on. ‘I want to have a general look round. There’s no use in both of us risking being seen. Go back to the ladder, like a good chap, and wait for me.’

  Brand nodded and when King had vanished like a shadow, he crept silently back to their point of entry. Then at the bottom of the rope ladder, he settled down to wait.

  It did not seem to him that they had made much by their expedition. They had already known that there were new kilns in the sheds. But if they couldn’t get into the sheds to examine them, he couldn’t see that they were any further on.

  King, however, had seemed quite satisfied. Apparently he had not expected to be able to get into the sheds. Why, then, their expedition? It was all very puzzling to Brand, but he had immense faith in King and he supposed that some purpose had been gained.

  One thing at least he was pleased about. Though they had ‘broken and entered’ in the technical sense, they had done nothing of which he need be very much ashamed. And his motives were really not bad. He did not think he could be seriously blamed for his action.

  Time soon began to drag. Brand wondered what was keeping King. He grew more and more restless, until an approaching shadow resolved itself into the chemist.

  ‘That’s all for tonight,’ the young man breathed. ‘Just let’s see we’ve left no traces and we may go.’

  Brand was bursting with curiosity, but felt his questions must keep. They crossed the wall, retrieved their mat and ladder, and set off towards the boat. Then he began.

  ‘We haven’t got much and that’s a fact,’ King returned, ‘but then I didn’t expect to get much this trip. It was simply a preliminary reconnaissance. We’ll have to do it once again and then I hope we’ll get all we want. I had a bit of luck since. I’ve been all over the offices.’

  ‘Great Scot! How did you manage that?’

  ‘By a fluke, pure and simple. When I left you I crept over towards where I thought the offices must be. I was nearly nabbed by a couple of fellows who were evidently going round having a look at the machines. However, I took cover in time and they passed without seeing me. It looks as if they just had a skeleton shift on at night to keep the automatic part of the plant running.’

  ‘Yes, I wondered we didn’t see more signs of life.’

  ‘That’s the reason. You remember, I saw only a tiny shift leave the works in the morning. Well, I really wanted to see where the watchman hung out, and whether he was a live wire or spent the time asleep. Then I had my bit of luck. Just as I got near the door of a likely building it opened and my friend of the pub came out. He’s a good man that, doing his trick when no one’s looking after him. I hid behind a convenient barrel and he passed without seeing me. When he’d gone I hesitated for about half a second, then I thought the opportunity too good to miss and I slipped in through the door he’d come out of, he’d left it open. I peeped into a comfy little room with a fire and light and his supper set out on a shelf, then hurried on down a passage which I guessed led to the offices. It did, and I went all over them: main clerical offices, some private rooms, technical office and lab. I was in them all. Great piece of luck!’

  ‘But did you get anything?’

  ‘I didn’t get the secret, if that’s what you mean. But in a case like this no knowledge is to be despised. Don’t worry, Brand. With luck we’ll be all right yet.’

  ‘The watchman didn’t see you coming away?’

  ‘No, I got out before he came back.’

  Brand continued his questions, but his companion was irritatingly close and refused absolutely to reveal his plans. From the way he spoke however Brand was sure that he had plans, though what they might be he couldn’t imagine.

  On the return journey they simply reversed their previous proceedings. The tide had fallen round the launch and they got aboard without trouble. They rowed to Gurnard Point before starting up the engine, and reverted to the sculls at the entrance to the Hamble. Without lights they approached their own wharf, and in silence and unseen got the launch back into the boathouse. As before they left their stuff in the launch while they went back to their rope and climbed to King’s office. Then talking noisily, they set out the work which they had presumably done, turned out the light in the laboratory and went down to the entrance. They made a point of seeing the watchman and bidding him good night, King calling his attention to the time by saying that they had got on well and that it was not so late as they had expected. Then picking up the stuff from the launch, they walked back to their boarding-house, stored their impedimenta in King’s workshop, let themselves into the house and went to bed. Whatever advantage they had or had not gained, Brand was at least
certain that they had not given themselves away.

  This opinion was confirmed next morning. Both Radcliff and Endicott were obviously impressed by the amount of work that had been done during the night, and Brand felt that their testimony, coupled with that of the night watchman, would make their alibi unbreakable. Nor could any trace of their presence remain at Chayle. If all King’s plans worked out as well as that of the previous night, the Joymount Works would be saved!

  The time, however, was getting short. Unless King could get an extension from the board, only six days were now left. This was Thursday, and the board met on the following Wednesday. And the board would not grant an extension, Brand felt sure, unless they were satisfied that King had made substantial progress in his investigations and seemed likely to achieve success.

  He was filled with a desire to discuss the affair once more with King. But on that Thursday and the following day, Friday, King vanished from the works. No one, not even Tasker, knew where he had gone. This, however, was in order, King had been given complete freedom of action during the period of the investigation.

  Again on Saturday he did not turn up, but that evening Brand saw a light in his workshop and went over. The door was locked, and after a short delay King opened it.

  ‘I say,’ Brand greeted him, ‘you’re a nice one. Where on earth have you been all this time?’

  ‘Different places,’ King rejoined grinning. ‘Exeter and London mostly, if you want to know. Why?’

  ‘Why?’ returned Brand, ‘What do you mean by “why”? Don’t you think I want to know what’s going on?’

  King chuckled. Are you on for the decisive expedition tomorrow night?’ he asked.

  ‘Back to Chayle?’

  ‘Yes. Just the same as before, except that—this time we’ll get what we want.’

  ‘I’m on, of course. But why do you hope for better results?’

  ‘I don’t hope; I know.’ King swung round and pulled out a drawer beneath his bench. ‘Look there.’

  In the drawer were a number of Yale keys, evidently in process of being filed up. King bent over, glancing at the door as he did so.

  ‘The Chayle keys,’ he whispered triumphantly.

  Brand could only stare at him in utter amazement.

  5

  The Bowl of Sugar

  ‘But, my dear chap, you must tell me.’

  It was half an hour later and the two men were walking along the winding road in the direction of Swanwick.

  ‘There’s no mystery about it,’ King answered. ‘From the very first, as I told you, I foresaw that if I was to succeed, I might have to have a look round the Chayle Works. In this case keys might be wanted, so from the very first I began to work out plans for getting them.’

  ‘Tell me,’ Brand said again.

  ‘I’m doing it as quick as I can,’ King returned. ‘From our expedition on Wednesday night I learned not only that we wanted keys, but that the keys were Yale and that they were small in size. Now it’s not usual to have large outer doors opened with a small sized key, and a possible reason for this occurred to me. In all probability the principals carried the keys about with them, and therefore wanted them to be as small as possible. I assumed that if I could have a look through the pockets of Haviland or Mairs, I should find a bunch of about eight small Yale keys. It seemed worthwhile taking a chance on this assumption, and I took it.’

  ‘But, good heavens, King, you don’t mean that you were prepared to search their pockets?’

  ‘Scruples again? Don’t be such an ass, Brand. You’re in this thing up to the hilt and you needn’t pretend to have scruples about one part of it and not another. However, in this instance, you weren’t responsible. I’d better not tell you any more.’

  Brand was sorely troubled. If King had done anything like this, he most certainly did not want to be mixed up in it. Why, it was pocket-picking! Then he thought of the benefit he and others were going to get from King’s work. King no doubt disliked it as much as he did himself, but King had gone through with it. He, Brand, could not in decency take the benefits of King’s action if he refused to pay the price.

  ‘I’m sorry, King,’ he said. ‘Only a passing distaste. I’m with you, as you know.’

  King nodded. ‘I know you are, old man. I agree with your scruples, mind you. I’m all for conscience myself, so long as it’s not overdone. But don’t ever let’s forget: we’re not out to hurt anybody, only to prevent other people hurting us.’

  ‘I know, you ass. Get along, will you, and tell me what you did.’

  King had looked hurt, but now he smiled again, as if delighted with himself and his achievement.

  ‘My problem, then, was in some way to get my hands into either Haviland’s or Mairs’ pockets and see if such a bunch existed. How was I to do it?

  ‘It was Tasker who gave me the hint. He said that Haviland came down to Portsmouth every Friday by the 4.50 from Waterloo. I also could travel by that train. It provided a suitable meeting place. Trains, moreover, were conveyances in which people frequently went to sleep. Could I do anything on those lines? I was personally unknown to Haviland, and I thought I could.

  ‘I worked out the details and on the Friday after Tasker saw Haviland—yesterday week, in fact—I went up to Town and travelled down in the tea car with Haviland. There was plenty of room and I chose a seat from which I could watch him unobtrusively. He didn’t look up from his paper when I got in, and I let him get out before me, so I don’t think he noticed me at all. But I saw what I wanted to see—that he took two cups of tea and that into each cup he put two pieces of sugar: that is, four lumps in all. From various enquiries I had made I knew Haviland was a man of habit, and I assumed that he took four lumps in his tea each time he travelled by that train. As it turned out I was justified.

  ‘That of course was all preparation, but on last Thursday I began to carry out my plan.

  ‘First I wanted to travel by some Southern Company’s tea car train in an area in which I was a complete stranger. I chose the 2.28 from Exeter to Waterloo. I went to Exeter on the Thursday and travelled up by that train. I chose an ordinary compartment and went along to the restaurant car for tea some ten minutes after the other passengers. I dallied over my tea and was one of the last to be finished. By the time I had paid my bill my own and the next compartments were empty. Then choosing a moment when the attendants were out of the car, I took a cigarette out of my case and got up to go. I was not observed, but all the same I acted carefully. I dropped my cigarette in what I claim was a realistic way on one of the tables of the next division. Naturally, I had to stoop to get it, and when I straightened up again a sugar bowl, complete with its contents, was in my pocket. I got back to my carriage, packed the bowl in my suitcase and congratulated myself that my first fence was successfully taken. I suppose they missed the bowl, but it had not vanished from my table and there was nothing to connect me with its loss.’

  This was not at all the kind of story that Brand wished to hear. King grinned at his expression. ‘What’s the saga about the tangled web we weave?’ he demanded. ‘Is that the way you feel?’

  ‘I don’t pretend I like it,’ Brand admitted. ‘However, I suppose we can’t get what we want without paying for it.’

  ‘True, oh philosopher,’ King returned genially, ‘and invariably it’s best to have somebody else to do the paying. Why,’ he grinned, ‘you should be all over me with gratitude, you self-righteous divil!’

  ‘So I am, really. I told you I was with you.’

  ‘You are, old son; trust me to see to that.’

  The words were spoken with good-humoured raillery, and yet for a moment Brand wondered if they did not contain the suspicion of a threat. He glanced at his companion, but King’s expression was entirely disarming. ‘Go ahead,’ Brand urged. ‘I want to hear the rest of the tale.’

  ‘As I said,’ King resumed, ‘there I was with my first fence taken. I had a little white china bowl with a green rim and the words “S
outhern Railway” on its side in the correctly shaped loop, and in the bowl were a couple of dozen pieces of sugar, each rolled in its paper cover, bearing the maker’s name and the directions for opening it in blue letters and in red. The genuine article, all complete and no deception.’

  ‘I’ve seen them,’ said Brand.

  King shook his head. ‘Ah, but you’ve never possessed any for your very own. Well, I turned then to another point. Haviland, I felt sure, would like a nice sleep next day in that 4.50, and that seemed to suggest a sleeping draught. I estimated that about half an ordinary draught would meet the case. It would be pretty certain to send him off, but the sleep would not be too heavy: he could be wakened at Portsmouth. Here I confess I was working in the dark, and I would have been glad of a bit of medical knowledge. However, I had to take some risks.

  ‘I had already learned that he took four lumps of sugar at tea. Four lumps must therefore contain half a draught. That is to say, there should be one complete draught in every eight lumps. Very cautiously I opened my suitcase and counted the lumps in my bowl. There were twenty: little paper packages, I mean; for each package contained two tiny half lumps. If I threw away four packages it would leave sixteen in the bowl, and I should therefore require two draughts. Fortunately I had them: in fact, it was having them that suggested the whole idea to me. Some time ago I had suffered from insomnia and had been ordered one of those barbituric compounds. I had some five-grain tablets over. You’re beginning to see the idea?’

  ‘I think so: dimly.’

  ‘I’ll make it clear. My next step was simple. I went to an hotel, locked my bedroom door, and set to work. First I carefully took the paper wrapping off my sixteen lumps. Then with a little twist drill which I had brought I drilled holes in the resulting thirty-two half lumps. I divided each of two of my sleeping tablets into sixteen portions, and I put one portion in each half lump. I crumbled my extra lumps up, and with the loose sugar I coated over the holes, moistening it just enough to make it cake and stick. When I had finished I was satisfied that nothing would be noticed. Then I replaced the paper wrappings, put the lumps back in the sugar bowl, and I was ready for the great experiment.