"I can't take a regular cruise," said Meldon. "I absolutely must be back here the day after to-morrow. No matter how carefully you arrange things, there's always a risk of something going wrong. Quite a trifling accident might upset the entire plan, and I ought to be on the spot to straighten things out directly they begin to get into a tangle."
Major Kent made no answer. He sat smoking until his pipe went out. Then for a while he sat with the empty pipe in his mouth, sucking at it as if it were still alight. He was thinking deeply. The evening darkened slowly, and a faint breeze stole in from the sea.
"Every prospect of a fine day to-morrow," said Meldon.
The Major took no notice of the remark. Meldon filled a fresh pipe, and watched the Spindrift tugging at her moorings as the breeze freshened or died and the tide caught her.
"J. J.," said the Major at last, speaking very solemnly, "I'd rather you didn't."
"Didn't what?"
"I know you enjoy this sort of thing, and I don't want to spoil your holiday. I'd like you to have a really good time, but I wish you'd hit on some other amusement."
"Try and be a little more explicit, Major. I'm a quick-witted man, and I can generally guess at your meaning, no matter how you wrap it up in paraphrases, but this time I really can't. The only amusement I've proposed so far is a short trip in your yacht. I suppose you don't grudge me that?"
"You know very well I don't, J. J. But I wish you wouldn't play these tricks with Simpkins. He's a man I don't like."
"You told me that last night," said Meldon, "and I agreed at once to have him murdered."