The Pit Prop Syndicate

t ostensibly to post a letter, but it was not un

ning an idea struck me, and it took me longer to follow up than I anticipated. I'll tell

eed succinctly, "but we needn't w

ason we don't want more of it than is necessary. We c

ani

ck to the wharf until the nigh

w we can be s

ou know it's a daily paper which gives the arrivals and departures of all ships at the world's ports. My notion was that if we could make a list of the Girondin's Fe

the

you omit each Sunday the Girondin is in port, the round trip always takes the even ten days. I had the Lesque arrival and departure for that one trip when we were there, so I was able to make out the complete cycle.

lly good! And today is Thursday

their caps, rubber shoes, electric torches and the black cloth, they carried to their boat; then returning to the hotel, they spent the time resting there until eleven o'clock. Solemnly they drew lots for the first watch, recognizing that

casion a faint westerly breeze had covered the surface of the water with myriads of tiny wavelets, which lapped and gurgled round the

raised the lid, and Merriman, standing on the footstool, with some difficulty squeezed himself inside. Hilliard then lifted the footstool

but worked at irregular speeds so as not to suggest human agency to anyone who might be awake and listening. Hilliard, with his hand on the outside of the barrel, stopped the work when he felt the point of the auger coming through, and he himself completed the hole from the outside with his bradawl. This g

rew, having satisfied himself by a careful look round that no traces had been left

if possible to sleep, not only to pass some of the time, which at the best would inevitably be terribly long, but also that he might be

lid which received the down spout was of large dimensions, so that even tho

and utter darkness indeed soon became overpowering, and he took his watch from his pocket that

ircumstantial evidence, Miss Coburn-Madeleine-could be incriminated? Oh, if he but knew what was wrong, that he might be able to help! If he could but get her out of it, and for her sake Mr. Coburn! If they were once safe he could pass on his knowledge

spleased, that she might refuse to admit there was anything wrong and forbid him to refer to the matter again or even send him away altogether. And he felt he was not strong enough to risk that.

Merriman noticed two faint spots of light showing at his eyeholes. Seating himself

but the main outlines of objects were already clear. As Merriman peered out he saw with relief that no mis

e most irksome part of his vigil was over. Soon the place would awaken to life

n those before dawn. Then, just as his watch showed eight o'clock, he heard a ke

sallowness of his complexion was emphasized by his almost jet black hair and dark eyes. He was dressed in a loose gray Norfo

enly to someone in the shed behind.

ace was a contrast to that of the other. In it the expression was good-kindly, reliable, honest

d slowly. "S

eed. "Didn't expect her ti

came the sounds of doors being opened, and some more empty Decauville trucks were pushed out on to the wh

e staff-among whom was the bovine-looking fellow whom the friends had tried to pump on their first visit to the locality. Then came a long delay during which Merriman could catch the sound of a ship

manager jumped aboard and ran up the steps and joined him there.

t for at least an hour no real activity was displayed. Then work began in earnest. The clearing of

w, lowered on to the Decauville trucks, and pushed by the depot men back through the shed, the empty trucks being returned by another ro

his hiding place, and he was satisfied that if anything other than props were put ashore he would infallibly see it. But the close watching was a considerable strain,

e forenoon Bulla appeared, and under his instructions the end of the flexible hose from the crude oil tank was carried aboard and connected by a union to a pipe on the lower deck. A wheel valve at the tank was turned, and Merriman could see the hose move and stiffen as the oil began to flow through it.

very impure. But he reflected that now when the men had left was the opportunity of the conspirators. The time for which he had waited

ional movement of one of the crew on the ship, the whole place seemed deserted. It

e was Bulla's, and from the sounds it was clear the engi

they only stayed at work about a week. They're off somewhere no

n if they found this place, which of course they might, they

eamish, as the three men moved slowly down the wharf. Merriman, considerabl

make a few inquiries. What fools, he thought, they were not to have disguised themselves! Simple disguises would have been quite enough. No doubt they would not have deceived personal friends, but they would have made all the difference to a stranger endeavoring to trace them from descriptions and those confounded photographs. Then they should not have travelled together to Hull, still less have gone to the same hotel. It was true they had had the sense to regis

e immediate present, and he wondered whether he should not try to get out of the barrel and emulate Hilliard's exploit in boarding the Girondin and listening to the c

d and its three occupants came out into the night. The starboard deck light was on and by its light Merriman could see the manager take his leave, cross the gangway, pass up the wharf and enter th

effort, heard a gentle tap on the barrel and a faint "Hist!" The lid was slowly raised, a

thing came out of that boat but props. I had a splendid view all the time. Except this, Hil

eathed Hilliard. "

taken his place, wished his friend good luck, and passing like a shadow along the wharf, noiselessly descended the steps and re

his muscles at the oars. So hard did he row that it was barely three when he reached the boat slip in

erve the Girondin pass out to sea. He had dreaded having to take another twenty-four hours' trick in the cask, which would have been neces

ached the wharf. All was in darkness, and he

examined the floor of the barrel to see that nothing had been overlooked, as well as plugging the two holes with co

n that cursed barrel bad, and it got steadily worse until I thought I should have died or had to lift

nything?" Merriman

ake my life nothing came out of that boat but props. No; what those people are up to I

iman lost in thought over their problem. It was still early when they reached their ho

tted-up to the present at all events. And neither could suggest any further step. There seemed to be no line of investigation left w

"It's a nasty knock having to give up the only theory we were able to think of, bu

ce rising before his imagination, "but we can't give it

well. What are we

veral minutes and then

means Scotland

sat up

erms on a previous occasion when the same SUGGESTION had been made.

d agree with them. But if neither of us can

red and he determined to play

ve actually come up against this mystery. Why not let us start in on it? If we knew why tho

ged dropping it and passing on their knowledge to Scotland Yard. But this course Merriman strenuously opposed, pressing his view that the key to the mystery was to be found in the chang