"In fact, sir," said Roche. "I remember moving it a couple of inches, because part of the coils was resting on the fore-hatch."
"Apparently some of the light-fingered fraternity have paid us a nocturnal visit," declared the Scoutmaster. "I hardly expected there would be thieves on the upper Thames, although, I believe, their name is legion lower down. Anything else missing?"
The loss was immediately reported to the Olivette's owner, but Mr. Murgatroyd treated the matter almost with indifference.
"Bad luck, Armitage," he observed. "It was considerate of the thief not to pinch the other two, otherwise the boat might have drifted down to the next lock or over the weir. That would have given you a bit of a shock, wouldn't it?"
The second stage of the trip was begun in glorious weather, and thanks to a comparative scarcity of other craft, and to the fact that most of the locks were open, good progress was made. By this time the Sea Scouts were quite expert in taking the Olivette through the locks, knowing exactly how much way to carry until the boat's nose was within a few feet of the closed gate.
"Shall we ask Mr. Murgatroyd to have lunch with us?" asked Warkworth, who, as cook for the day, was rather proud of his handiwork in the culinary department.
"Delighted!" exclaimed the owner, when the proposition was put to him.
"We'll stop at Goring," decided Mr. Armitage, "and climb the hill above Streatley. The view is superb, I'm told. Lunch can come after. It's a pity for half the crew to be feeding while we are passing such lovely scenery."
This programme was duly carried out, and, on re-embarking, Mr. Murgatroyd, Mr. Armitage, Roche, Woodleigh, and Warkworth went to lunch, while the others remained on duty.
The meal was but half over when Stratton, from the wheel-house, gave the order for Flemming to stand by. The latter grasped the lever of the reversing-gear and awaited the next order.