Madge gave her a keen look.
"You make me curious; I went into detail because you are more interested than you want to show. Of course, I thought it strange that a man who spoke good English should relieve his feelings in German when he felt annoyed, and afterward try to convince me that he wasn't a foreigner. I think he did try and that was the reason he talked so much."
"I was thinking about the compass; you said it was in a nice little box. They use things like that on small yachts and boats."
"This one was about as long as your hand. Where does the other track that runs into Dumfries come from?"
"From Glasgow."
"Oh!" said Madge. "You build warships there, don't you?"
She opened her traveling bag and took out a time-table which contained a map of Scotland.
"Look at this," she said, indicating Stranraer, Portpatrick, and Ramsey. "Rankine's been at these places, because I've had notes from him, and you see how they command the way out from the Clyde. His business doesn't stop at making charts."
"Has he told you so?"
"No." Madge blushed prettily. "Still, he's admitted something; you see, we are friends. Besides, he's a smart officer; they wouldn't waste a man like him on taking soundings. That would be quite absurd."