inquired.

Tommy shook his head. "Not yet. I expect he's blueing some of that
fiver in anticipation."

"Come and sit down, then," I said, "and I'll tell you all about it."

They both seated themselves beside me on the edge of the well, and
in as few words as possible I let them have the full story of my
adventures. At the first mention of Latimer's name Tommy indulged in a
low whistle, but except for that non-committal comment they listened
to me in silence.

Joyce was the first to speak when I had finished.

"It's hateful, isn't it?" she said. "I feel as if we were fighting in
the dark."

"That's just what we are doing," answered Tommy, "but we're letting in
a bit of light by degrees though." Then he turned to me. "McMurtrie's
got some game on, evidently, and this chap Latimer's dropped on it.
That was why they tried to put him out of the way."

"Yes," I said, "and if Latimer is really in the secret service, it
must be a precious queer sort of game too."

Tommy nodded. "I wonder if they're anarchists," he said, after a
short pause. "Perhaps they want your powder to blow up the Houses of
Parliament or the Law Courts with."

I laughed shortly. "No," I said. "Whatever McMurtrie's after, it's
nothing so useful and unselfish as that. If I thought it was I
shouldn't worry."

"Well, there's only one thing to do," observed Tommy, after a pause,
"and that's to go and look up Latimer, as I suggested. You're sure he
didn't recognize you?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I'm sure of nothing about him," I replied,
"except that he's a superb liar."

"We must risk it anyhow," said Tommy. "He's the only person who knows
anything of what's going on, and he evidently wants to find out who
sent him that note, or he wouldn't have answered it as he did. He'll
have to give me some sort of explanation if I go and see him. I
shall rub it into him that my supposed pal is a perfectly sensible,
unimaginative sort of chap--and anyway people don't invent a yarn like
that."

"Look!" interrupted Joyce suddenly. "Isn't that Mr. Gow coming along
by those trees?"

She pointed away down the creek, and following her direction I saw the
figure of our trusty retainer trudging back towards the ship, with a
bundle over his shoulder. He had exchanged Tommy's picturesque outfit
for some garments of his own, more in keeping with his new and
dignified position.

"I'll pick him up," I said; "but what are we going to do about getting
back? We had