He drew a long breath.
‘The others?’ I hinted.
‘Oh, the tramp stood by, and her name and so on was taken, but she wasn’t held to blame, as nothing could be proved. Belton was the only man who could have spoken, but, as you know, they didn’t get the boat up for days.’
‘But why was it some of the others couldn’t follow you up?’
‘Something must have gone wrong below. Either they couldn’t drain the conning-tower or else the gas got through to them. When they raised her they were all gassed, poor beggars, and I think the doors must have leaked quicker than we’d thought, and I just got up in time.’
‘You said something about a stoker being saved, didn’t you?’
‘That was Howell, who was shut up in the engine-room. It’s an interesting story how he got out. He’s in Haslar Hospital now, if you’d like to go and see him.’
I said I should like to very much.
‘Then I’ll give you this,’ and Allison wrote something on the back of a card, ‘otherwise he may suspect you and tell you nothing.’
‘I’ll go,’ I said, taking the card. ‘His story ought to be rather illuminating.’