Jimmy turned away and whistled softly. Mrs. Eames addressed a vigorous protest to the policeman. She said a great deal about the rights of free British citizens to enter caves if they chose. She argued about the unreasonableness of interfering with an innocent pleasure like bathing. She spoke, as she always did, volubly and with energy. The policeman remained entirely indifferent, merely repeating the word "Orders" from time to time when Mrs. Eames paused for breath.
"Jimmy," said Beth, in an anxious whisper, "what's he doing here?"
"It looks to me," said Jimmy, "very much as if somebody had tumbled to the fact that all the cargo we landed the other night wasn't stage property. If so, the fat's in the fire and no mistake."
"But was there anything really smuggled?" said Beth.
There is honour and a sense of comradeship among thieves. Jimmy would not give away the secrets of Hinton and Linker.
"There was that little parcel of silk stockings," he said, "which I promised to get for you and Mary."
"How perfectly sweet of you," said Mary. "I never thought you really meant to."
"I'm beginning to wish I hadn't," said Jimmy. "That policeman——"
"Do you mean to say he'll take the stockings?" said Mary. "How mean!"
"I'm very much afraid he'll do more than that," said Jimmy.