by for a moment, Jimmy, will you?" he directed.

"Aye, aye, sir!"

Sir Henry took up the receiver. He dropped his voice a little, although
it was none the less distinct.

"Number one--police-station, please.--Hullo there! The inspector
about?--That you, Inspector?--Sir Henry Cranston speaking. Could you
just step round?--Good! Tell them to show you straight into the library.
You might just drop a hint to Mills about the lights, eh? Thank you."

He laid down the receiver and turned towards the fisherman.

"Well, Jimmy," he enquired, "all serene down in the village, eh?"

"So far as I've seen or heard, sir, there ain't been a word spoke as
shouldn't be."

"A lazy lot they are," Sir Henry observed.

"They don't look far beyond the end of their noses."

"Maybe it's as well for us, sir, as they don't," was the cautious reply.

Sir Henry strolled to the further end of the room.

"Perhaps you are right, Jimmy," he admitted.

"That fellow Ben Oates seems to be the only one with ideas."

"He don't keep sober long enough to give us any trouble," Dumble
declared. "He began asking me questions a few days ago, and I know he
put Grice's lad on to find out which way we went last Saturday week,
but that don't amount to anything. He was dead drunk for three days
afterwards."

Sir Henry nodded.

"I'm not very frightened of Ben Oates, Jimmy," he confided, as he threw
open the door of a large cabinet which stood against the further wall.
"No strangers about, eh?"

"Not a sign of one, sir."

Sir Henry glanced towards the door and listened.

"Shall I just give the key a turn, sir?" his visitor asked.

"I don't think it is necessary," Sir Henry replied. "They've all gone up
to change. Now listen to me, Jimmy."

He leaned forward and touched a spring. The false back of the cabinet,
with its little array of flies, spinners, fishing hooks and tackle,
slowly rolled back. Before them stood a huge chart, wonderfully executed
in red, white and yellow.

"That's a marvellous piece of work, sir," the fisherman observed
admiringly.

"Best thing I ever did in my life," Sir Henry agreed. "Now see here,
Jimmy. We'll sail out tomorrow, or take the motor boat, according to the
wind. We'll enter Langley Shallows there and pass Dead Man's Rock on the
left side of the waterway, and keep straight on until we get Budden Wood
on the church tower. You follow me?"

"Aye, aye, sir!"

"We make for the headland from there. You see, we sh