"Yes; am I to be left to the care of the police while Solomon is looking after the plunder?"
"Oh no!" ejaculated the clerk in shocked tones. "If there is nothing of value on board the authorities can't do much to you. Besides, Mr. Solomon will do his utmost to secure your acquittal if you are tried."
"A very ingenious scheme. And now tell me about this story of the Arrow."
"The Arrow?" repeated the other with affected innocence.
"Exactly. Hasn't Solomon declared that I stole it; that, in short, it belonged to Rossenbaum?"
A startled expression crossed the water-clerk's face, but it was gone in an instant.
"I think you must be mistaken, Captain," he answered suavely. "I have heard nothing about the Arrow."
"Well, you go back to Solomon and tell him that his little scheme's gone adrift, and that he needn't worry himself about the plunder, because I'm looking after it myself. Now quit."
The clerk looked as if he would have liked to protest, but thought better of it, and, leaving the cabin, hurried back to the motor-boat which then made for the harbour at full speed.
"That'll shake up our friend Solomon a bit, I fancy," said Calamity, when he had told Abott about the interview. "It was a clever scheme, and might have succeeded if you hadn't told me about that Arrow affair."