"Christine's right," I cried. "How about your launch, Bobby? Has
anything gone wrong with her?"
"Gone wrong with her!" he echoed indignantly. "Of course it hasn't."
"Then why were you late?" I demanded.
"I was kept for an hour at that cursed office. There was some
Admiralty business that had to be attended to."
Christine turned to him, her face alight with excitement.
"We have still time." she said. "If we can catch them up before
they get to Holland----"
She was interrupted by Campbell.
"She's talking sense, the young lady," he exclaimed. "They can't be
very far ahead of us, and there's twenty thousand pounds reward if we
get the stones."
"It's my uncle's life I'm thinking of," declared Christine
passionately.
Campbell made an obvious effort to appear sympathetic.
"Never fear, miss," he rejoined. "We'll bring him back to you and
the diamonds as well."
"I am coming too," said Christine quietly.
The Inspector stared at her in dismay.
"But, my dear young lady----" he began.
"You may as well save your breath, Campbell," I remarked. "If three
hundred yards of water can't stop Miss de Roda----"
"Why the blazes shouldn't she come?" demanded Bobby indignantly.
"She's got more pluck and grit than all the rest of us put together."
"Have it your own way," returned Campbell. "I'm thinking there'll be
some bloody work before we get the bracelets on Dr. Manning, but if
you choose to run the risk--" He broke off with a shrug of his
shoulders, and Bobby stepped forward, glancing down at Christine's
bare feet.
"Haven't you got any shoes?" he asked. "You can't go through the
shrubbery like that."
"Yes, I can," she replied. "I've done it already."
"Well, I'm hanged if you'll do it again," he retorted. "You're all
cut about and bleeding as it is. You hop up on my back like a
sensible girl."
He stooped down, and, without making any fuss or protest, Christine
at once accepted the proffered lift.
Campbell's grim eyes watched her appreciatively.
"You stick close to me, Commander," he said. "I'll go ahead of you
with the light, and then you can see where you're putting your feet.
I wouldn't have you drop that lass, not for a twenty pound note."
He produced an electric torch from his pocket, and switching on the
current, led the way out into the garden. Bobby followed, with
Christine on his back, and, just waiting to close the door, I hurried
after them and ranged myself alongside of Campbell.
There was very little mist left, and the moon, although occasionally
obscured by clouds, was now shining brightly. We passed through the
iron gate and entered the shrubbery, where I showed them the broken
wire which had been the cause of my downfall. Then, step by step, we
moved cautiously forward along the winding path, until a glimmer of
light in front of us showed that the trees were coming to an end.
As we emerged on to the saltings Christine slipped lightly to her
feet.
We could see the launch lying out in the tideway, and a dark figure,
silhouetted sharply against the water, standing on guard over a small
dinghy.
"There's Jenkins!" said Bobby, in a relieved whisper.
At the sound of his voice the sailor wheeled round quickly; and then,
seeing us advancing across the grass, drew himself up to the salute.
"Anything happened?" enquired Bobby.
"All quiet, sir," came the curt answer.
"In you get," continued Bobby, motioning us towards the dinghy.
He turned to Jenkins, who was moving away to unhitch the painter.
"We've got to catch that launch, Jenkins," he said, "the one we saw
coming out from the opposite shore. She's making for Rotterdam, and
no matter if we break the blasted engines we're going to overhaul her
before she gets there."
"Very good, sir," returned Jenkins indifferently.
He waited until we had scrambled in, and then, unfastening the rope,
took his place at the oars. Two or three strokes brought us
alongside, where Bobby held the boat steady while we clambered on
board over the low iron railing.
I shepherded Christine and Campbell to the cockpit, and, leaving them
there, lent what assistance I could to the others in the task of
getting under way.
Within five minutes of our feet touching the deck the anchor was
hauled in, and we were heading out into the open estuary, with the
black water rippling past our stern.
Bobby, who had taken the wheel, signalled to me to come aft.
"You'll find a pair of night glasses in the cabin," he observed.
"You'd better go up into the bows and keep a look-out."
I nodded. "If you've got such a thing as a spare gun," I said, "I'll
borrow that too."
"There are a couple of Webleys about somewhere," he replied. "Ask
Jenkins for them and give the other one to Campbell."
I dropped down the narrow hatch, and, having discovered the glasses,
made my way forward to where Jenkins was busy with the engines. He
left them for a moment, to reappear with a brace of useful-looking
revolvers, and thus equipped I crawled back to the cockpit.
I found Christine and the Inspector sitting side by side, apparently
on the most friendly terms.
"Here you are, Campbell," I said, offering him his choice. "I
promised you a bit of shooting, and the odds are that you'll get it."
With a significant gesture the detective tapped his hip.
"Not for me, thank you," he replied. "If Dr. Manning wants to argue
I've got an old friend here who'll do all the talking that's
necessary."
Christine stretched out her hand.
"I'll take the other one," she announced.
Campbell made an attempt to interfere, but he was too late to be
effective.
"You needn't worry about me," said Christine reassuringly. "I know
how to use a revolver."
"I'm not surprised to hear it, miss," was the answer. "All the same,
if it comes to a shooting match, the proper place for you is in the
cabin."
"He's right, Christine," I added. "For heaven's sake keep under
cover when we run alongside."
She looked up at me eagerly.
"You think we shall catch them, then?"
"Of course we shall," I answered. "It's not likely that they can do
more than twenty, and Bobby can knock nearly forty out of this old
jigger." I squeezed her hand comfortingly in the darkness.
"I'm going up forward now to keep a look-out for them," I continued.
"As soon as you hear me let off a yell you'll know that they're in
sight."
With surprising tact Campbell turned away his head, and, having taken
full advantage of the opportunity, I swung myself up on to the deck
and started off in the direction of the bows.
We were now racing through the water at a tremendous speed, the whole
frail shell quivering and rocking beneath the powerful beat of the
engine. On either side a great rolling wave curved away from the
ship's stern, and behind us a broad wake of white foam gleamed and
tossed in the fitful light of the moon.
I crept forward to the end of the deck, and, crouching down in the
angle of the railing, stared long and steadily through my glasses.
As there was no sign of our quarry it was clear that she was already
round the point. Manning had doubtless seen Bobby's launch returning
up the estuary and had wasted no time in getting away from "The
Laurels" directly he had discovered Christine's flight. At the
lowest computation he must now be at least six miles ahead of us.
Provided the moonlight held, however, he would still be in sight by
the time he reached the bar, and I glanced anxiously at heavy masses
of cloud which were gathering ominously from the south-east.
On we went, the water becoming rougher every minute as we forced our
way into the trough of the incoming tide.
Bit by bit the coast opened out on our right, until at last we were
almost opposite the big clump of trees which marks the extreme end of
the southern shore.
Clutching the rail to steady myself, I once more raised my glasses.
Then, in a lather of spray and foam, we suddenly shot out into full
view of the sea, and at the same moment a wild, involuntary shout
broke from my lips.
There, not half a mile ahead of us, was the launch. She was lying
broadside on under the full light of the moon, and one glance was
sufficient to show me she had broken down. Even at that distance I
could make out two figures working frantically at the engines and
another huddled shape in the bows.
"We've got 'em!" roared Bobby, above the throb of the pistons.
He spun over the wheel, and, swinging round like a greyhound on the
trail, we leaped seaward straight for our helpless prey.