“Best thing I ever did in my life,” Sir Henry agreed. “Now see here, Jimmy. We'll sail out tomorrow, or take the motor boat, according to the wind. We'll enter Langley Shallows there and pass Dead Man's Rock on the left side of the waterway, and keep straight on until we get Budden Wood on the church tower. You follow me?”

“Aye, aye, sir!”

“We make for the headland from there. You see, we shall be outside the Gidney Shallows, and number twelve will pick us up. Put all the fishing tackle in the boat, and don't forget the bait. We must never lose sight of the fact, Jimmy, that the main object of our lives is to catch fish.”

“That's right, sir,” was the hearty assent.

“We'll be off at seven o'clock sharp, then,” Sir Henry decided.

“The tide'll be on the flow by that time,” Jimmy observed, “and we'll get off from the staith breakwater. That do be a fine piece of work and no mistake,” he added, as the false back of the cabinet glided slowly to its place.

Sir Henry chuckled.

“It's nothing to the one I've got on number twelve, Jimmy,” he said. “I've got the seaweed on that, pretty well. You'll take a drop of whisky on your way out?” he added. “Mills will look after you.”

“I thank you kindly, sir.”

Mills answered the bell with some concern in his face.