AN ARCTIC RESIDENCE 273 



day two sheepish-looking individuals turned up, 

 and by their demeanour I feared the worst was 

 about to happen. But no, they were nice, inoffen- 

 sive creatures, and had married already, and only 

 wanted a passport to England, which I could not give 

 them, so I sent them with a letter to Mr. Wardrup 

 in Bergen, and trust they got through safely. 



On December 1st complete darkness set in, and 

 the U-boats disappeared, one being lost on a rock 

 close to Hammerfest, so I settled up my affairs, and 

 the work for which I had been specially detailed being 

 finished, I took the mail steamer and went south. 



Travel in the North Sea in 1916 was neither a 

 safe business nor an unmixed joy. The week 

 previously the Germans had sunk two of the mail- 

 boats to Newcastle, and now the Venus was going 

 across on what it was expected would probably 

 be the last direct voyage from Bergen. As I went 

 to say farewell to a certain German-Norwegian 

 merchant in Hammerfest who had been very 

 civil to me in obtaining information of value, I 

 found him packing up a box of excellent cigars. 

 " Here is a little gift for you," he remarked, " and 

 let me give you a piece of advice. Last night I 

 was in the Cafe (the regular meeting-place in 

 Hammerfest of German agents), and I heard two 

 men talking about you. They were aware of your 

 departure, and said that your capture was neces- 

 sary for something you did last year. So be careful, 

 and above all do not go home by Bergen." This 

 afforded me some amusement, for I was quite 

 aware of the incident to which he referred, and 

 resolved not to be caught napping. 



After five weary days I arrived at Bergen, and 



