success. They said it was too early--jealous, I suppose; but then two
fellows spoke up, and asked to be taken on to help. Said they would
bring their punt; without local help we should do no good. All true
enough, no doubt, but what a nuisance they'd be. I got out of it--'

'It's just as well you did,' I interposed. 'We shall never be able to
leave the boat by herself. I believe we're watched,' and I related my
experience.

'H'm! It's a pity you didn't see who it was. Confound that bob-stay!'
(his tactful way of reflecting on my clumsiness); 'which way did he
run?' I pointed vaguely into the west. 'Not towards the island? I
wonder if it's someone off one of those galliots. There are three
anchored in the channel over there; you can see their lights. You
didn't hear a boat pulling off?'

I explained that I had been a miserable failure as a detective.

'You've done jolly well, I think,' said Davies. 'If you had shouted
when you first heard him we should know less still. And we've got a
boot, which may come in useful. Anchor out all right? Let's get
below.'

We smoked and talked till the new flood, lapping softly round the
Dulcibella, raised her without a jar.

Of course, I argued, there might be nothing in it. The visitor might
have been a commonplace thief; an apparently deserted yacht was a
tempting bait. Davies scouted this possibility from the first.