Two of her crewa middle-aged man and a younger one, who looked like his sonwere now outside the cabin. The middle-aged man aft caught the second tossed line, tied it to a stanchion that was not very substantial-looking, and the two sailors on the ladder physically dragged the Coronel Gasparo back to the ladder.
The SS officer appeared on the aft deck. De Banderano could now see him clearly. He was not only an SS officer, but a Standartenf?hrer. De Banderano had been told he would be contacted by a senior German official, but had expected this would be someone from the German embassy, a diplomat, not a Standartenf?hrer.
Very carefully, the Standartenf?hrer jumped from the Coronel Gasparo onto the ladder and started up it.
When he reached the deck, he looked around until he saw Captain de Banderano.
His arm shot out in the Nazi salute.
"Heil Hitler!" he barked in German. "You are Captain de Banderano?"
De Banderano nodded. His German was adequate but not fluent; he used it only when he had to.
"Standartenf?hrer Goltz," Goltz announced. "I am the officer you were told to expect."
"What can I do for you, Standartenf?hrer?" de Banderano asked in his halting German.
"This is my authority," Goltz said, and handed him the letter on the stationery of the Nazi party and signed by all the senior members of the German government except Adolf Hitler himself.
Capitan de Banderano had just finished reading itand being suitably impressed by itwhen Peter stepped off the ladder onto the deck.
"Buenos dias, Capitan," Peter said, and rendered a military salute.
"Major Freiherr von Wachtstein, Captain," Goltz said. "My assistant in this undertaking."
There was something about the young major that de Banderano liked.
"You apparently have had a rather rough voyage," de Banderano said in Spanish. "Could I offer coffee? Perhaps with a little something to sweeten it?"
"The Capitan's understatement is exceeded only by his generosity," Peter said. "I accept with the most profound thanks."
Goltz looked at Peter for a translation.
"The Capitan has just offered us coffee," Peter said.
"I think that would be a splendid idea," Goltz said.
"If you'll come this way, gentlemen?" de Banderano said, and then added: "You speak Spanish very well, Mayor."
"Thank you. I spent some time in Spain," Peter said.
"During the war?"
"With the Condor Legion," Peter said.
Goltz picked up on the Condor Legion and guessed what they were talking about.
"Major von Wachtstein received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross from the hands of the F?hrer himself," he offered.
"For service in Spain?" de Banderano asked.
"For service in the East," Peter said.
De Banderano now had the satisfaction of confirming his snap judgment of the young officer. He was a fellow warrior in the war against the Antichrist Communists.
He waved them to seats around the wardroom table and ordered the steward to bring coffee, sweets, and brandy.
"Curiosity overwhelms me," he said. "What are you doing in that river craft out here?"
"What did he ask?" Goltz asked.
"It was all we could find on short notice," Peter said, and then translated for Goltz both de Banderano's question and his reply.
"We are pressed for time," Goltz said to de Banderano.
"How may I be of service?" de Banderano asked.
"Shortly before you sailed from Sweden, Captain, several crates were loaded aboard your vessel by Obersturmbannfuhrer Hasselmann. . . ."
Goltz paused until this was acknowledgedde Banderano nodded his headand then continued.
"I tell you now, in confidence, Captain, that they contain certain materiel which will be used to repatriate the officers of the Graf Spee now interned in Argentina. These officers will be broughtprobably in groups of twenty or so from their place of internment to your ship, and then transferred to submarines."
De Banderano had been very curious about the crates brought aboard the Oceano Pacifico under heavy guard at the last moment before he sailed. And once they were under way he went so far as to enter the hold to look at them. He actually considered opening them for a look. But they had been sealed with lead-and-wire seals that could not be broken without detection.
"Major," he said in German, "my German is not that good. This is obviously of great importance. Would you please translate what the Herr Standartenf?hrer just said?"
Peter did so.
"The Comerciante del Oceano Pacifico is at your disposal, Herr Standartenf?hrer," he said when Peter finished. "And may I say, as a former Naval officer, that I am delighted to make a contribution to such an undertaking?"
"This project, of course," Goltz said, "has the personal support of Admiral Canaris, who was himself interned in Argentinaand escapedduring the First World War. And I have reason to believe that the F?hrer himself has a personal interest."
"What would you like me to do?" de Banderano asked.
Goltz took a map from his pocket and laid it on the table.
The steward arrived with the coffee, pastry, a bottle of Spanish brandy, and three gold-rimmed crystal glasses. He filled the glasses.
"Have we time for a toast?" de Banderano asked, picking up his glass.
"Of course," Goltz said.
"To Adolf Hitler, our leader in the war against godless communism," de Banderano offered.
They sipped their cognac.
"To El Caudillo, Der F?hrer's ally in that noble enterprise," Goltz said.
They sipped again.
"To my comrades in the war against the Communists in Spain," Peter said.
De Banderano was touched by the young major's toast.
Goltz pointed to the map.
"I have arranged for a truck to be at this point, Captain," he said, and interrupted himself. "Hans, you better have a look at this. It's time for you to see where we're going."
"Jawohl, Herr Standartenf?hrer," Peter said, and looked at the map.
"By now, Captain," Goltz said, "Oberst Gr?ner and the others are already in position. All that remains is for us to bring those special materiel crates ashore and into their hands."
In that absurd little river craft? It wouldn't be exactly landing through the surfthis is, after all, a baybut that boat probably draws a meter or a meter and a half and they're very likely to run aground fifty meters offshore. If they can make it in without capsizing.
"I have aboard a boat, Herr Standartenf?hrer, which is probably more suitable to land on a beach than your vessel."
'"Splendid!" Goltz said. "Now let me ask you this: Can you take our boat aboard your vessel?"
"I don't know. I'd have to look at it," de Banderano said. "Why would you want me to do that, if I may ask?"
"I thought it would be useful when we bring the Graf Spee officers from shore," Goltz said.
"With respect, Herr Standartenf?hrer, the Oceano Pacifico's boat could do that more efficiently," de Banderano said. "All I would have to know is where and when you wanted our boat available."
"In that case, Hans," Goltz said. "We would not need your boat. You could return it to El Tigre. If we weren't using it, obviously, it would not arouse suspicion."