“Have you searched it?” rapped Kerry, placing a fresh piece of chewing-gum between his teeth.
“I have, sir. Oh, he’s too wise for that!”
“I propose,” said Seton briskly, “that we borrow one of the other boats and pull down stream to where that short pier juts out. We can hide behind it and watch for our man. I take it he’ll be bound up-stream, and the tide will help us to follow him quietly.”
“Right,” said Kerry. “We’ll take the small dinghy. It’s big enough.”
He turned to Jervis.
“Nip across to the wooden stairs,” he directed, “and tell Inspector White to stand by, but to keep out of sight. If we’ve started before you return, go back and join him.”
“Very good, sir.”
Jervis turned and disappeared into the mazes of rubbish, as Seton and Kerry grasped the boat and ran it down into the rising tide. Kerry boarding, Seton thrust it out into the river and climbed in over the stern.
“Phew! The current drags like a tow-boat!” said Kerry.
They were being drawn rapidly up-stream. But as Kerry seized the oars and began to pull steadily, this progress was checked. He could make little actual headway, however.