make things clear, I want to marry her if she'll have me."

"I thought so, old man, and I can only say - the best of luck! As
you say, then, we mustn't call in the police, and as we can't leave
the thing, we must go on with our own inquiry. I would suggest that
if we find out their scheme is something illegal, we see Mr. Coburn
and give him the chance to get out before we lodge our information."

"I suppose that is the only way," Merriman said doubtfully. After
a pause Hilliard went on:

"I'm not very clear, but I'm inclined to think we can do no more
good here at present. I think we should try the other end."

"The other end?"

"Yes, the unloading of the ship and the disposal of the pit-props.
You see, the first thing we're up against is that these people are
anything but fools, and the second is that they already suspect us
and will keep a watch on us. A hundred to one they make inquiries
and see that we really do go through the Canal du Midi to the
Riviera. We can't hang about Bordeaux without their knowing it"

"That's true."

"Of course," Hilliard went on, "we can see now we made a frightful
mess of things by calling on the Coburns or letting Mr. Coburn
know we were about, but at the time it seemed the wisest thing."

"It was the only thing," Merriman asserted positively. "We didn't