“A little before eleven, I think. I didn't notice. It was after Fordingbridge had gone to bed, anyhow.”
The inspector absent-mindedly tapped his note-book with his pencil for a moment or two. Then he glanced at Sir Clinton.
“That's all I want to ask you just now,” he said. “You'll be needed at the inquest, of course. I suppose you're staying on for a while at Lynden Sands?”
“Oh, yes,” Billingford replied carelessly. “If you want me at any time, I'll be handy. Always pleased to play ‘Animal, Vegetable, or Mineral?’ with you any time you like, inspector.”
“I daresay you've had plenty of practice,” Armadale growled. “Well, you can go now. Hold on, though! You can show us the way up to Flatt's cottage. I'll need to see this friend of yours, Fordingbridge.”
“Meaning to check up my story?” Billingford suggested, unabashed. “I've met this sort of sceptical spirit before. Somehow it always seems to develop in people who've worn a constable's helmet in their youth. Compression of the credulity lobe of the brain, or something like that, perhaps.”
Armadale made no reply, but led the way out of the house. Before they had gone more than a few yards, a police-sergeant came forward and accosted the inspector. After a few words, Armadale turned to Sir Clinton.
“Now we've got the constables, sir, I think we'd better get the body ashore and notify Dr. Rafford that we'll need a P. M. done. If you don't mind going round by the beach, I can put the sergeant here in charge; and then we can go on to Flatt's.”
The chief constable made no objection; and the inspector paid no attention to Billingford's humorous protest against a further waste of his time. The whole party made their way down to the shore, where they found most of the idlers of the village assembled, awaiting the putting in of the boat.
Armadale signalled to the two fishermen; and very soon they rowed their craft to the little pier. The police kept the crowd back while the body was being landed. Then the inspector gave the sergeant some instructions; and under the guidance of Sapcote the squad set off into the village with the body.