And, indeed, they were not without excuse for curiosity; for, a foreign steamer whose course seemed indeterminate, now making for Cardiff and now for St.Ives, observed at one time north-east of Lundy and a few hours later south of the island--a tramp, in fact, that was obviously "loitering" with no ascertainable destination, was enough to keep telescopes to the eyes of Devon pilots and fisher-folk, and to set their tongues wagging.

But there was no help for it.

Crawford could not leave the rendezvous till Agnew arrived, and was forced to wander round Lundy and up and down the Bristol Channel for two days and nights, until, at 5 a.m.on Monday morning, the 13th of April, a signal from a passing steamer, the _Balmerino_, gave the welcome tidings that Agnew was on board and was proceeding to sea.
When the two steamers were sufficiently far from Lundy lighthouse and other prying eyes to make friendly intercourse safe, Agnew came on board the _Doreen_, bringing with him another North Irish seaman whom he introduced to Crawford.

This man handed to Crawford a paper he had brought from Belfast.

It was typewritten; it bore no address and no signature; it was no doubt a duplicate of what Spender had taken to the Highlands, for its purport, as given by Crawford from memory, was to the following effect: "Owing to great changes since you left, and altered circumstances, the Committee think it would be unwise to bring the cargo here at present, and instruct you to proceed to the Baltic and cruise there for three months, keeping in touch with the Committee, or else to store the goods at Hamburg till required." The "great changes" referred to were the operations that led to the Curragh incident, the story of which Crawford now learnt from Agnew.