Still, all that remained now was comparatively clear sailing.  I had merely to follow out my former process, and I had taken care to order the various ingredients in as fully prepared a state as possible for immediate use.  I had also taken care to include one or two other articles, which as a matter of fact had nothing on earth to do with the business in hand.  It was just as well, I felt, to obscure matters a trifle, in case any inquiring mind might attempt to investigate my secret.

For hour after hour I worked on, sorting out my various chemicals, and preparing such methods of treatment as were necessary in each case.  I was so interested in my task that I paid no attention at all to the time, until with something of a shock I suddenly realized that the light was beginning to fail.  Looking at my watch I found that it was nearly half-past seven.

There was still a certain amount to do before I could knock off, so, stopping for a moment to mix myself a well-earned whisky-and-water, I switched on the two electric head-lights which McMurtrie had provided as a means of illumination.  With the aid of these I continued my labours for perhaps another hour and a half, at the end of which time I began to feel that a little rest and refreshment would be an agreeable variation in the programme.

After making sure that everything was safe, I turned out the lights, and locking up the door, walked back to the hut.  I was just entering, when it suddenly struck me that instead of dining in solitary state off tongue and bread, I might just as well stroll over to the Betty and take my evening repast in the engaging company of Mr. Gow.

No sooner had this excellent idea entered my head than I decided to put it into practice.  The moon was out, and there appeared to be enough light to see my way by the old route along the river shore, so, walking down to the sea-wall, I climbed over, and set off in the direction of the creek.

It was tricky sort of work, with fine possibilities of spraining one’s ankle about it, but by dint of “going delicately,” like Agag, I managed to reach the end of my journey without disaster.  As I rounded the bend I saw the Betty lying out in mid-stream, bathed in a most becoming flood of moonlight.  A closer observation showed me the head and shoulders of Mr. Gow protruding from the fo’c’s’le hatch.

He responded to my hail by scrambling up on deck and lowering himself into the dinghy, which with a few vigorous jerks he brought to the shore.

“I’ve come to have supper with you, Mr. Gow,” I observed.  “Have you got anything to eat?”

He touched his cap and nodded.  “I says to meself it must be you, sir, d’rectly I heard you comin’ round the crick.  There ain’t much comp’ny ’bout here at night-time.”

“Nor in the daytime either,” I added, pushing the boat off from the bank.

“And that’s a fact, sir,” he remarked, settling down to the oars.  “There was one gent round here this morning askin’ his way, but except for him we bin remarkable quiet.”