‘Of course we must wait to rest the horses,’ said Merton. ‘The motor has gone on to Lairg, carrying two detectives who have made a pretty foozle of it, and it will bring back an electrician.’
‘What for?’ asked Logan.
‘I must tell you the whole story,’ said Merton. ‘Let us walk a little way—too many gillies and people loafing about here.’
They walked up the road and sat down by little Loch Awe, the lochan on the way to Alt-na-gealgach. Merton told all the tale, beginning with his curious experiences on the night before the disappearance of Miss Macrae, and ending with the dismissal of the detectives. He also confided to Logan the importance of the matter to himself, and entreated him to be serious.
Logan listened very attentively.
When Merton had ended, Logan said, ‘Old boy, you were the making of me: you may trust me. Serious it is. A great deal of capital must have been put into this business.’
‘A sprat to catch a whale,’ said Merton. ‘You mean about nobbling the electric machine? How could that be done?’
‘That—and other things. I don’t know how the machine was nobbled, but it could not be done cheap. Would you mind telling me your dreams again?’
Merton repeated the story.
Logan was silent.