He had never before shipped anything like so large a number of firearms; and the long process of packing, and Crawford's own mysterious coming and going, would be certain to excite suspicion, which would reach the secret agents of the British Government, and lead either to a protest addressed to the German authorities, followed by a prohibition on shipping the arms, or to confiscation by the British authorities when the cargo entered British territorial waters.
These fears must have been present to the mind of B.S.when he met Crawford at the station in Hamburg on the 27th on his return from Belfast, for the precautions taken to avoid being followed gave their movements the character of an adventure by one of Stanley Weyman's heroes of romance.

Whether any suspicion had in fact been aroused remains unknown.

Anyhow, the barges were ready laden, with a tug waiting till the tide should serve about midnight for making a start down the Elbe, and through the canal to Kiel.

The modest sum of L10 procured an order authorising the tug and barges to proceed through the canal without stopping, and requiring other shipping to let them pass.

A black flag was the signal of this privileged position, which suggested the "Jolly Roger" to Crawford's thoughts, and gave a sense of insolent audacity when great liners of ten or fifteen thousand tons were seen making way for a tug-boat towing a couple of lighters.
For the success of the enterprise up to this point Crawford was greatly indebted to the Jew, B.S.From first to last this gentleman "played the game" with sterling honesty and straightforward dealing that won his customers' warm admiration.