Pratt got up and closed the door.
"Let them say, sir. We were burnt out."
"You don't say so! Upon my word, it's time something was done. Have you lost much?"
"Almost everything but our clothes."
"Scandalous! Then you'll come up to the house?"
"We'd rather keep to our arrangement, sir," said Warrender. "It will give us a better chance of running the fellows to earth. We think of making a thorough search on the island. The difficulty is that we can't do it by daylight; we are sure to be watched, at any rate for a day or two. There's another difficulty. They're sure to keep their eye on our motor-boat and dinghy; it will be too risky to use them. Of course, we could swim the river, but it would be a bit of a nuisance."
"I can help you there. You had better not use my skiff, but I've an old Norwegian pram in one of my outhouses----"
"A what, sir?" asked Pratt.
"A pram--a sort of abbreviated punt. At one time I used it for fishing on the river. It's small and very light; two of you could carry it. You had better fetch it yourselves; my men might talk in the village. I have set them clearing a camping-place for you, by the way. It's about half-way between here and the island. But I can't lend you a tent."
Warrender explained that he proposed to buy one of the general dealer.