oler in my life. I believe every other
emotion was swallowed up in the relief of finding out something
definite at last.

I know anyhow that that was my chief sensation as I rowed the dinghy
towards the wet slimy causeway, lit by its solitary lamp. There was a
boat train to town in the early hours of the morning which Latimer had
suggested that he and Tommy should catch, and it certainly seemed a
safer plan than coming back to Tilbury with me.

When I had parted from them, under the sleepy eye of a
depressed-looking night watchman, I returned to the _Betty_ and
proceeded to let go my moorings. I then ran up the sails, and gliding
gently past the warships and a big incoming steamer, floated out into
the broad peaceful darkness of the Thames estuary. I was in no hurry,
and now that the mist had cleared away it was a perfect night for
drifting comfortably up river with the tide.

The dawn was just beginning to break by the time I reached my old
anchorage in the creek. In spite of my long and slightly strenuous
day, I didn't feel particularly tired, so after stowing away the sails
and tidying up things generally, I sat down in the cabin and began to
compose my letter to McMurtrie.

I started off by telling him that I had completed my invention some
days earlier than I expected to, and then gave him a brief but
dramatic description of the success which had attended my first
experiment. I am afraid I was a trifle inaccurate with regard to
details, but the precise truth is a luxury that very few of us can
afford to indulge in. I certainly couldn't. When I had finished I
addressed the envelope to the Hotel Russell, and then, turning into
one of the bunks, soon dropped off into a well-deserved sleep.

I don't know whether it was Nature that aroused me, or whether it was
Mr. Gow. Anyway I woke up with the distinct impression that somebody
was hailing the boat, and thrusting my head up through the hatch I
discovered my faithful retainer standing on the bank.

He greeted me with a slightly apologetic air when I put off to fetch
him.

"Good-mornin', sir. I hope I done right stoppin' ashore, sir. The
young lady told me I wouldn't be wanted not till this mornin'."

"The young lady was quite correct," I said. "You weren't." Then as we
pushed off for the _Betty_ I added: "But I'm glad you've come back
in good time today. I want you to go in and post a letter for me at
Tilbury as soon as we've had some breakfast. You might get