Page 63 (1/1)

"It seems to me to be a little weak," said I "It is ed his affairs before ever he set out upon his expedition"

"No, I hardly think so This lair of his would be too valuable a retreat in case of need for hiive it up until he was sure that he could do without it But a second consideration struck me Jonathan Small must have felt that the peculiar appearance of his coive rise to gossip, and possibly be associated with this Norwood tragedy He was quite sharp enough to see that They had started from their head-quarters under cover of darkness, and he would wish to get back before it was broad light Now, it was past three o'clock, according to Mrs Sht, and people would be about in an hour or so Therefore, I argued, they did not go very far They paid Sue, reserved his launch for the final escape, and hurried to their lodgings with the treasure-box In a couple of nights, when they had time to see what view the papers took, and whether there was any suspicion, they would make their way under cover of darkness to some ship at Gravesend or in the Dohere no doubt they had already arranged for passages to America or the Colonies"

"But the launch? They could not have taken that to their lodgings"

"Quite so I argued that the launch reat way off, in spite of its invisibility I then put myself in the place of Small, and looked at it as a man of his capacity would He would probably consider that to send back the launch or to keep it at a wharf would et on his track How, then, could he conceal the launch and yet have her at hand anted? I wondered what I should do myself if I were in his shoes I could only think of one way of doing it I ht land the launch over to some boat-builder or repairer, with directions to e in her She would then be removed to his shed or yard, and so be effectually concealed, while at the same time I could have her at a few hours' notice"

"That sees which are extremely liable to be overlooked However, I determined to act on the idea I started at once in this har and inquired at all the yards down the river I drew blank at fifteen, but at the sixteenth--Jacobson's--I learned that the Aurora had been handed over to theed man, with soht amiss with her rudder,' said the foreman 'There she lies, with the red streaks' At thatowner? He was rather the worse for liquor I should not, of course, have known him, but he bellowed out his naht o'clock,' said he,--'eight o'clock sharp, ' They had evidently paid his about to the men I followed him some distance, but he subsided into an ale-house: so I went back to the yard, and, happening to pick up one of my boys on the way, I stationed hie and wave his handkerchief to us when they start We shall be lying off in the strea if we do not take men, treasure, and all"