Sealed Cargo

Here she comes, boys.

Hey, Caleb, take over. I'm shoving.

Pat? Quick trip.

Just seems like it, you being so busy(!)Same story. Nobody for you.

I'm three men short. What about Blackburn?Navy got him. His mother's looking for work, though.

I'll laugh when you get me a man.

Well, if it isn't the boy Patrick! Hello, Dolan.Cup of tea?If you get it up on its feet.I will.

Had a good run?Better than good.

This war will probably make me a rich man.Don't take it out on me.

You've put four sons in the Service and I get rich. Where does that leave us?Without an argument.

I'd like an argument.All right, I'll tell you. Pretty soon you'll let this really get under your skin,

you'll put the Daniel in dry dock and join the Navy.You're wrong.

And the Navy will turn you down flat.

They'll say we need halibut a lot worse than they need helping.

Dolan, you sound like you've been reading my mail.More rum?

It'd be a shame to weaken this(!) My sentiments entirely.

Did you stop at the hiring hall? Yeah.Did they help you any?No.

They didn't say anything about a Dane? A man called Konrad? No.He's no fisherman,

but he's a seaman and speaks fair English.Where is he?

He'll be here. Sit down. He's at the courthouse. Had his ship knocked out from under him and lost his papers.

BELL RINGS

I'm looking for Captain Bannion.

I was told I might find him here. I might be able to locate him. What shall I say is wanted?

I'd like to book passage on his ship.The Daniel's a fisherman.

I was told he'd take me if I offered to pay enough.Unfortunately, the Daniel doesn't go anywhere.

Doesn't it sometimes put in at the villages on the Newfoundland coast?

Yeah, that's what I mean.

You're Captain Bannion, aren't you?

That's right.How much will you charge to take me to Tresbeau?

There are several hundred Nazi subs around. They'd like us for a target. I'm willing to take...

I'm sorry. I'd like to help you, but I can't take that responsibility.

You'd be Konrad. I'm Bannion. Mr Dolan tell me about you.

You a seaman?I am a Dane. It's the same thing.Did you get squared away?No, I need employer to sign.

Well, you got one. Let's go. Goodbye, Dolan, and thanks.

A little tea might help.

I think it would.

Oh, would you like it a bit up on its feet?

No, I don't think so.

All hands aboard, Caleb? Aye. And more.

We're shoving off. You have to go ashore.Why?

I have nowhere to put you.There's an empty bunk in the galley.

She got no such information from me.

Good old Dolan, huh? This going to Tresbeau must be a pretty big thing for you.

It is.Why? It's a barren stretch of rock with less than 50 people.

I know, I was born there. I'm going to my father. He's ill.

Have you seen the cook's quarters? No.

Show her, Caleb. I think you'll be changing your mind.

Tell Holger to come up here.Aye.

He's a countryman of yours. If you're as good a sailor as he is, there'll be no complaints.Aye, sir.

Holger? The skipper wants you on deck.

Excuse me, ma'am.

Ain't exactly tidy, but we like it.

There it is.

The crew have a name for it. They call it the coffin.

Are you offering it to me?

You couldn't take it, not for 10 days.I'll be going with you.

I lied to you, Captain. Mr Dolan did say you'd give in.

SPEAKS IN DANISH

It's better we speak English. Oh? Why so?

I speak language of the ship. As you like.

You're from Lokshanger? Yes. Been there?

I was there once, just before the new pier was finished.

There isn't a new pier in Lokshanger, unless...

the Nazis have built one.

That's right. I meant Esby.

Thanks.

Where do you want these?

Just put them there.

Oh, the first night out, we don't dress.Thank you, Steward.

We'll be in the middle of that in a minute.

The deck's not going to be the safest place.I know. We're not friends, but we're not strangers.

SHIP'S HORN BLOWS

Nice, isn't it(?)And isn't it wonderful there's so much of it?

I have to admit it frightens me.

The sea is only good to sailors that are afraid of her.Are there any others?Not many living.

BURSTS OF DISTANT GUNFIRE

What was that?A machine gun.

One of our patrols?

Maybe.

It might be signalling. Sometimes in soup like this, U-boats exchange short-distance messages by gunfire.

It saves breaking radio silence.

Captain...

Did you hear it, Holger? Hear what, sir?Machine gun fire.

Machine gun? No, I was in the cabin.

May I speak to you?

What is it?..Alone.

What?I want to show the Captain the wireless.What about it?

You will see.

Was that all right when you came on watch?Yes, perfect.

Who opened this door?I do not know.

I don't know.

I've known this crew for years. All of us, sir?

Not you...and not Konrad. Is that what you mean?

It was no accident.What about Konrad? He's a Dane, isn't he?

He doesn't use our language. He will speak only in English.

You wait here.

PLAYS HARMONICA

<Konrad!

<I want Konrad in my cabin!

Hey, the skipper wants you.

The skipper? In his cabin. Hit it.

Close that.

Tell Holger where you were born and how you got out of Denmark. And tell him in Danish.

Go ahead, tell him.

SPEAKS FLUENTLY IN DANISH

It's not good Danish, but we have many accents.

Like in America. It's not a German accent, is it?

No, I do not think so.

He says he was at sea when the German armies invaded.

What does he accuse me? Nothing. But I may.

What were you doing in this cabin?

Who tells I was in this cabin?

Answer the question!

I was not in here.You didn't touch this radio?I do not work a radio.

Somebody wrecked it. Holger speaks fine Danish. Like learned from school.

The captain is right to suspect. The Nazis have men on these ships.

They send reports to the U-boats.

You can go, Holger.

When we hit Tresbeau... EXPLOSIONS

A five-incher at least.Very close.

Full stop.

What do you make of it, Caleb? Sounds like somebody shooting.

LOUD EXPLOSION

ANOTHER EXPLOSION

FIRING CONTINUES All hands midships.

All of you know what this probably is.

A Nazi sub shelling a fisherman. They don't waste torpedoes.

So there are probably men in dories drifting around somewhere out there.

The sub may have cleared out or it may be just sitting there waiting for something. Like us.

All of you have a stake in this.

So the question is what do we do? Do we nose around looking for them?

Or do we sneak out of here?

That's what we'll do, then. Maybe you better ask the lady.

I'LL worry about who to ask. Let's get underway. Keep a sharp lookout

and keep your ears open.

Schooner! Dead ahead!

Look at that!

Full astern!Full astern, sir!

Cut the engine!Cut the engine!

Ahoy!

FAINT ECHO

Ahoy!

Ahoy there!

Throw the starboard dory.

Keep off her, Captain.

Why?First machine gun signals, now no answer from ship that sends up distress flare.

Is anything surprising about that? She's been shelled.

If you board her, Captain, I go with you.You'll stay here.

I could be of help. She is a Danish ship.

Holger...

Is there anything about that ship to say she's Danish?I do not know.

All the square riggers are Danes.

Maybe so, maybe not. I'll take both of you.

Coming along, Caleb?That I am.

Ahoy there!

"Den Magre Kvinde."

Copenhagen. Danish.

Yes, sir. Den Magre Kvinde. What does it mean?

Thin woman. No...a woman starved.

The gaunt woman.

Yes... The Gaunt Woman.

Pull alongside and hail her in Danish.

Den Magre Kvinde!

Den Magre Kvinde!

CONTINUES IN DANISH

She is like dead. Somebody shot those rockets up.

Pull up to that ladder.

Make fast and come aboard.

He is not a Danish seaman. Why do you say that?

Put the light back on him, Pat. ..He's not any kind of seaman.

Exactly. Where's the weather in his face?

Konrad, you know these ships.Yes? For two years I sailed one just like her.

All this wasn't done by shelling.

No, she's had heavy weather, lost her rigging.

And he tried jury-rigged. It's not enough to handle so big a ship.

Afterwards comes the shelling.

Then what?

I don't know.

DOOR CREAKS

Give me the gun, Caleb.

Put the gun down.

My name's Bannion, master of the Daniel Webster.

Do you understand English?

Holger, tell him in Danish that we came to give him assistance. HE DOES SO

His pulse is steady enough. Lay him down on the couch.

Port of Copenhagen. Master Skolde. Henrik Skolde.

Is that Danish?Yes, sir. Ja.

Out of Trinidad, bound for Halifax.

Rum.

Caleb, see what you can do for him. We'll have a look at his cargo.

Here. Give me that hatchet.

Stand back.

That's good West Indies rum, all right.

Here, plug her up.

That's worth a lot of money.

More than halibut. Is the captain claiming salvage?

You'd get a bigger cut than three months' hard work on the Banks.

I wish no blood money from Nazi subs.

Maybe you're right.

How do you feel about it, Konrad?