“How long will it take you to provision the ship?” Edmund asked of Welfare.
“I could do that to-morrow at a pinch.”
“Very well, to-morrow night we’ll shift this lot. Let me see. All we want is a few fathoms of rope. I’ll bring that up in a suit-case. You and I will have to man-handle it out of this when Welfare brings up the felucca. Half a dozen good niggers will have it aboard as quick as we can lower it. Welfare, you’ll have plenty of fishing nets aboard to cover it up with. Then I’ll take the Astarte out first thing in the morning, and pick you up when we’re well out of sight.”
So it was settled, and the scheme began at last to look quite feasible to me.
“I wish,” I said, “we could dine together, but I cannot leave this stuff unguarded, and it would be awkward here if my friend Brogden turned up. But, Edmund, I want you to sleep here to-night. I was disturbed last night, and I’m tired and sleepy. Anyhow, I’m a rotten shot with a revolver.”
I had to tell them of Jakoub’s visit and my vigil with him, though I knew the knowledge of my danger would hurt both of them very sore.
The things they said made me realise that I was not insensible to flattery.
Brogden, to my relief, did not return that evening.
When Edmund came back to my room we talked long together. But what we said I think concerns no one but ourselves.
It left me happy in a new confidence that he would be restored at last to begin an honourable career.