ter
fast to her rudder post. The second boat's painter was attached to
the stern of the first, and the current swung both alongside. The men,
fending off, allowed their craft to come into place without sound. The
ladder was raised and hooked on, and Willis, climbing up, stealthily
raised his head above the taffrail.

The port side of the ship was, as on previous occasions, in complete
darkness, and Willis jerked the ladder as a signal to the others to
follow him. In a few seconds the fourteen men stood like shadows on the
lower deck. Then Willis, tiptoeing forward, began to climb the ladder to
the bridge deck, just as Hilliard had done some four months earlier. As
on that occasion, the starboard side of the ship, next the wharf, was
dimly lighted up. A light also showed in the window of the captain's
cabin, from which issued the sound of voices.

Willis posted his men in two groups at either end of the cabin, so that
at a given signal they could rush round in opposite directions and reach
the door. Then he and the sergeant crept forward and put their ears to
the window.

This time, though the glass was hooked back as before, the curtain was
pulled fully across the opening, so that the men could see nothing and
only partially hear what was said. Willis therefore reached in and
very gradually pulled it a little aside. Fortunately no one noticed the
movement, and the talk continued uninterruptedly.

The inspector could now see in. Five men were squeezed round the tiny
table. Beamish and Bulla sat along one side, directly facing him. At the
end was Fox. The remaining two had their backs to the window, and were,
the inspector believed, Raymond and Henri. Before each man was a long
tumbler of whisky and soda, and a box of cigars lay on the table. All
seemed nervous and excited, indeed as if under an intolerable strain,
and kept fidgeting and looking at their watches. Conversation was
evidently maintained with an effort, as a thing necessary to keep them
from a complete breakdown. Raymond was speaking:

"And you saw him come out?" he was asking.

"Yes," Fox answered. "He came out sort of stealthy and looked around. I
didn't know who it was then, but I knew no one had any business in the
cottage at that hour, so I followed him to Ferriby station. I saw his
face by the lamps there."

"And you knew him?"

"No, but I recognized him as having been around with that Excise
inspector, and I guessed he was on to something."