"In that case, Cornwallis, we had better go back, because you can see,
by the marks on the cliffs, that the tide will come here in large
quantities, and, in fact, the water will be jolly deep."
And Cornwallis said he supposed it would. The time also was getting on,
and we found it was past four. But, of course, we meant getting back
fast, with an occasional run, and had allowed half the time to get back
that we allowed to go out.
We were just turning, after going a few hundred yards farther, when a
most interesting thing appeared. The cliffs hung over rather, and were
made of red sandstone, and very steep; but ahead of us was a ledge of
rock half-way up the cliff, and on it a mysterious little house made of
bits of old boat and painted with tar. It was extraordinary to see such
a thing in such a lonely spot, and Cornwallis, who is rather suspicious,
owing to the War and being a Boy Scout, wondered if it was all right.
Because, if you are once a Boy Scout, as Travers minor pointed out, you
are always a Boy Scout, and though you may not be scouting in a
professional sort of way, yet, if anything peculiar happens, or you get
a chance of doing good to the country, you must instantly look into it.
So Cornwallis decided to go and examine this queer shed, and I went with
him. The door was open, but we saw no signs of life. It was a solid
building made of heavy timbers, and there was a padlock on the door.
Inside was a pleasant smell of tar and cobbler's wax and fish. It
seemed to belong to a mariner of some sort; but, on the other hand, what
mariner could possibly want to make his house in such a weird spot?
There was no bed or washing basin or chest of drawers, to show that the
stranger lived here, but there were many interesting things, including a
lobster-pot, a telescope, and a large lantern of the sort used on board
ship.
I saw nothing peculiarly suspicious, but Cornwallis did. From the first
he took rather a serious view of it, and when he found a green tin full
of petrol, his face went white, and he said it was Fate.