“Let one of the crew remain here to look after Monsieur Sholmes, and you can give him as much of your own company as possible. Treat him with all due respect and consideration. He is not a prisoner, but a guest. What time have you, captain?”
“Five minutes after two.”
Lupin consulted his watch, then looked at the clock that was attached to the wall of the cabin.
“Five minutes past two is right. How long will it take you to reach Southampton?”
“Nine hours, easy going.”
“Make it eleven. You must not land there until after the departure of the midnight boat, which reaches Havre at eight o’clock in the morning. Do you understand, captain? Let me repeat: As it would be very dangerous for all of us to permit Monsieur to return to France by that boat, you must not reach Southampton before one o’clock in the morning.”
“I understand.”
“Au revoir, master; next year, in this world or in the next.”
“Until to-morrow,” replied Sholmes.
A few minutes later Sholmes heard the automobile going away, and at the same time the steam puffed violently in the depths of The Swallow. The boat had started for England. About three o’clock the vessel left the mouth of the river and plunged into the open sea. At that moment Sholmes was lying on the captain’s bunk, sound asleep.