nly what I have been able to pick up from their own conversation,"
the manager answered. "I wrote Morton asking him to make inquiries about
them, but of course there hasn't been time yet for a reply. From their
own showing one of them is Seymour Merriman, junior partner of Edwards
& Merriman, Gracechurch Street, Wine Merchants. That's the dark,
square-faced one--the one who was here before. The other is a man
called Hilliard. He is a clever fellow, and holds a good position in
the Customs Department. He has had this launch for some years, and
apparently has done the same kind of trip through the Continental rivers
on previous holidays. But I could not find out whether Merriman had ever
accompanied him before."

"But you don't think they smell a rat?"

"I don't think so," he said slowly, "but I'm not at all sure. Merriman,
we believe, noticed the number plate that day. I told you, you remember.
Henri is sure that he did, and Madeleine thinks so too. It's just
a little queer his coming back. But I'll swear they've seen nothing
suspicious this time."

"You can't yourself account for his coming back?"

Again Mr. Coburn hesitated.

"Not with any certainty," he said at last, then with a grimace he
continued: "But I'm a little afraid that it's perhaps Madeleine."

Bulla, the engineer, made a sudden gesture.

"I thought so," he exclaimed. "Even in the little I saw of them this
evening I thought there was something in the wind. I guess that accounts
for the whole thing. What do you say, skipper?"

The big man nodded.

"I should think so," he admitted, with a look of relief. "I think it's a
mare's nest, Coburn. I don't believe we need worry."

"I'm not so sure," Coburn answered slowly. "I don't think we need worry
about Merriman, but I'm hanged if I know what to think about Hilliard.
He's pretty observant, and there's not much about this place that he
hasn't seen at one time or another."

"All the better for us, isn't it?" Bulla queried.

"So far as it goes, yes," the manager agreed, "and I've stuffed him with
yarns about costs and about giving up the props and going in for paving
blocks and so on which I think he swallowed. But why should he want to
know what we are doing? What possible interest can the place have for
him--unless he suspects?"

"They haven't done anything suspicious themselves?"

"Not that I have seen."

"Never caught them trying to pump any of the men?"

"Never."

Captain Beamish moved imp