anything! Nothing to see.”
I squeezed Mathias’s arm and widened my eyes at him, hoping he’d get the message to play along.
“But don’t tell me this is the first time,” the man continued, standing so close to us that I could smell the cigarettes he’d smoked. “I know when I’m being watched.”
“No, really. Maybe someone else was doing it before, but you caught us right away,” I said, giving him my most innocent look.
Mathias straightened his shirt and added, “You’re just too smart for us.”
I winced. Too much …
The man looked at the two of us and shook his head. “Stupid kids.” He put on his beret, tugged it low over his forehead, and shoved past us. As he started down the street, helooked back and yelled, “You make sure to tell Crespo that if he was a real man, he’d confront me himself and not send sniveling children to spy!”
“I’ll make sure to tell him!” I said with relief-filled laughter bubbling over my words.
Our would-be attacker paused, clenched his fist, and glared at us.
I glanced over at Mathias, wondering if we’d have to make a run for it.
The man then stuffed his hands in his coat pockets. “No-good kids,” he muttered before walking away.
Mathias and I remained quiet until he rounded the corner, and then, the moment he was out of sight, we broke into hysterical laughter.
SIXTEEN
D uring the next two weeks, Mathias and I continued making our deliveries, but we weren’t able to open any other messages. The envelopes were now sealed and taped, so either someone realized that we had opened and resealed one of them or Mathias’s father was being extra cautious. Regardless, we now kept our ears open for any information about the British or about merchant ships that were trying to get to Bilbao. The newspaper reported that more ships were being confronted in international waters by Franco’s destroyers, but so far they were still safe as long as there were escorts from the British navy. The problem was, once they got within three miles, it was up to the Basques to provide safe passage, and there were mines along the way.
“ Neska! Don’t go too far. I’ll need your help carrying the fish back to the train station.” Mamá turned back to the wiry old fisherman who was haggling with her over the cost of his catch.
We’d come together to Mamá’s hometown of Bermeo toget the sardines. It was a short trip by train that Mamá made several times a week, but on that Thursday morning she had insisted I help her because she wanted to get a larger order. In the past few days, with more refugees escaping the front lines and flooding into Guernica, our sardine sales had risen. Mamá still complained about all the people, but she did so a little less forcefully, and I didn’t dare say I’d been right about the increase in business.
I looked out at the calm waters of the port and the small boats that dotted the horizon. The morning sun coated everything around me in a golden light, and for a moment it seemed as if I were somewhere else. Somewhere peaceful and serene and not in the middle of a civil war.
“Come basuras.” A man stumbled along the pier, pushing aside anyone in his way. “That’s right, I think you’re all eating garbage.” He pointed a finger toward a small group of fishermen and shouted, “ Todos creen que se van hacer de dinero . You believe you’ll actually be able to provide for your families doing this type of work day after long day. Ha!” He smirked as he walked past me and then pounded his chest. “I’ll show all of you. ¡Yo soy el que va a salir de aquí! I’ll be the one who actually gets out of this godforsaken place!”
With those words, he promptly collapsed right by my feet.
I took a quick hop backward in case he decided to grab at my ankles.
“ Vamos , Guillermo.” A man wearing clothes that looked almost like rags came to help the man stand up. “Let’s get you home. You’re obviously drunk.”
No one else
I squeezed Mathias’s arm and widened my eyes at him, hoping he’d get the message to play along.
“But don’t tell me this is the first time,” the man continued, standing so close to us that I could smell the cigarettes he’d smoked. “I know when I’m being watched.”
“No, really. Maybe someone else was doing it before, but you caught us right away,” I said, giving him my most innocent look.
Mathias straightened his shirt and added, “You’re just too smart for us.”
I winced. Too much …
The man looked at the two of us and shook his head. “Stupid kids.” He put on his beret, tugged it low over his forehead, and shoved past us. As he started down the street, helooked back and yelled, “You make sure to tell Crespo that if he was a real man, he’d confront me himself and not send sniveling children to spy!”
“I’ll make sure to tell him!” I said with relief-filled laughter bubbling over my words.
Our would-be attacker paused, clenched his fist, and glared at us.
I glanced over at Mathias, wondering if we’d have to make a run for it.
The man then stuffed his hands in his coat pockets. “No-good kids,” he muttered before walking away.
Mathias and I remained quiet until he rounded the corner, and then, the moment he was out of sight, we broke into hysterical laughter.
SIXTEEN
D uring the next two weeks, Mathias and I continued making our deliveries, but we weren’t able to open any other messages. The envelopes were now sealed and taped, so either someone realized that we had opened and resealed one of them or Mathias’s father was being extra cautious. Regardless, we now kept our ears open for any information about the British or about merchant ships that were trying to get to Bilbao. The newspaper reported that more ships were being confronted in international waters by Franco’s destroyers, but so far they were still safe as long as there were escorts from the British navy. The problem was, once they got within three miles, it was up to the Basques to provide safe passage, and there were mines along the way.
“ Neska! Don’t go too far. I’ll need your help carrying the fish back to the train station.” Mamá turned back to the wiry old fisherman who was haggling with her over the cost of his catch.
We’d come together to Mamá’s hometown of Bermeo toget the sardines. It was a short trip by train that Mamá made several times a week, but on that Thursday morning she had insisted I help her because she wanted to get a larger order. In the past few days, with more refugees escaping the front lines and flooding into Guernica, our sardine sales had risen. Mamá still complained about all the people, but she did so a little less forcefully, and I didn’t dare say I’d been right about the increase in business.
I looked out at the calm waters of the port and the small boats that dotted the horizon. The morning sun coated everything around me in a golden light, and for a moment it seemed as if I were somewhere else. Somewhere peaceful and serene and not in the middle of a civil war.
“Come basuras.” A man stumbled along the pier, pushing aside anyone in his way. “That’s right, I think you’re all eating garbage.” He pointed a finger toward a small group of fishermen and shouted, “ Todos creen que se van hacer de dinero . You believe you’ll actually be able to provide for your families doing this type of work day after long day. Ha!” He smirked as he walked past me and then pounded his chest. “I’ll show all of you. ¡Yo soy el que va a salir de aquí! I’ll be the one who actually gets out of this godforsaken place!”
With those words, he promptly collapsed right by my feet.
I took a quick hop backward in case he decided to grab at my ankles.
“ Vamos , Guillermo.” A man wearing clothes that looked almost like rags came to help the man stand up. “Let’s get you home. You’re obviously drunk.”
No one else
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