ain that I couldn't do best
alone. However, arrangements are made now, and you are coming, three of
you."

"Then what are the arrangements?" I asked.

"Just these. You are to leave here first. Make the best of your way to
Mile End Gate, where an old inn stands in the middle of the road. Go to
the corner of the turning opposite this, at the south side of the road.
At eleven o'clock a four-wheeler will drive up, with Plummer and one of
his men in it. The man is one who knows all the geography of Channel
Marsh, and he also knows exactly where to find the boat I used to-day.
You will drive to a little way beyond Bow Bridge, and then Plummer's man
will lead you to the boat. You had better scull and leave the others to
look out. They will know what to do. You will pull along to a place
where you can watch till you see me coming on to the Marsh by the path.
As soon as you see me you will slip quietly along to a place the
policeman will show you, close to the ruin, and watch again. That's all.
I don't know whether or not you think it worth while to take a pistol. I
certainly shall; but then I'm most likely to want it. Plummer will have
one."

I thought it well worth while, and I took my regulation "Webley"--a
relic of my old Volunteer captaincy. Then, by way of the underground
railway, I gained the neighbourhood of Mile End, and interested myself
about its back streets till the time approached to look for Plummer's
cab.

Plummer was more than punctual--indeed, he was two or three minutes
before his time. The cab drew near the kerb and scarcely stopped, so
quickly did I scramble in.

"Good," said Plummer; "we're well ahead of time. Mr. Hewitt quite
right?"

"Yes," I said. "I left him so an hour and a half ago at his office." And
we sat silent while the cab rattled and rumbled over the stony road to
Bow Bridge, and the shopkeepers on the way put up their shutters and
extinguished their lights.

Bow Bridge was reached and passed, and presently we stopped the cab and
alighted. Here Styles, Plummer's man, took the lead, and a little way
farther along the road we turned into a dark and muddy lane on the left.
We floundered through this for some hundred and fifty yards or so, and
then suddenly drew in at an opening on the right. Here we stood for a
few moments while our guide groped his way down toward the muddy water
we could smell, rather than see, a little way before us.

There were a few broken steps and a broad black t