“I’d catch ’im whenever ’e left, and if I followed ’im—”
“That’s it! He’s sure to be meeting her sooner or later. You’ll easily recognize him—he’s got a big black moustache, and he’s a tall, thin chap.”
“But suppose ’e left the ’ouse and didn’t cross the ’arbour, and I was stuck on this side?” artfully suggested Mr. Clark.
“I have it!” cried the landlord of the “Flag and Pennant.” “Blessed if I don’t do you a good turn, since you’re going to do me one! You can take over my ferry-boat. Then you can row backwards and forwards all day, watching the place unsuspected. And if you see him leave and not cross the harbour, you can row over as quickly as you can and follow him. And if he does cross, why, he’s bound to come over in your ferry, and then you can always jump out after him and track him till he meets her, and then you can fetch old Poskett along to see ’em!”
“It certainly sounds a proper plan,” approved Mr. Clark. “But after I’ve fetched Poskett—do I lose the ferry job then?”
“No,” said the landlord, handsomely. “I’ll let you keep it on, on the usual terms. After all, some one’s got to do it, and it may as well be you, especially since you’ll have helped me a bit.”
Overjoyed at this facile arrangement, Mr. Clark celebrated his new engagement so thoroughly that he quite omitted to provide unwelcome escort for Miss Poskett that evening. Next morning he entered upon his new duties, and rowed back and forth across the estuary with ever a vigilant eye lifting towards the cottage with the figurehead in its garden.
But no one answering to the description of William Jones did he discern all day, and when at last business was over at a late hour, he went along to see Mr. Horace Dobb and tell him all that there was to be told.
“Ah, now you’re all right!” said Mr. Dobb, patronizingly. “So mind you do the job satisfactory, and keep your eyes well open.”
“I shall give Poskett notice at the end of the week,” said Mr. Clark. “Now I’m hindependent of ’im, I want to get shut of ’is nasty little job as soon as possible.”