“We can lower six cases at a time with this,” he said. “I’m going to make a pair of shears out of a couple of these iron bedposts and make them fast over the bit of balcony outside the window. I reckon we shall be able to shift the lot in half an hour; quite as quickly as they will load it. I hope Welfare has got the felucca all right. Did you get rid of your pal?”
“I did. He’s fixed up for the evening at his club.”
“Good. He knows about the Astarte being in, I suppose?”
“Yes; he told me all about it, and about searching her. He guesses Jakoub was landed just about where we did land. He is having all the routes to Alexandria watched.”
“Poor devil! Is he a decent chap?”
“He is, very.”
“It’s rotten having to let him down.”
“Of course it is. But the whole thing is rotten,” I said wearily.
“You still think this is the best scheme?”
“It is. Please don’t let us discuss it again. The alternative is unthinkable.”