Part 22 (1/2)
Landon faced seaward and observed the yacht keenly.
He laughed with great enjoyment.
”He is a character, that skipper of mine,” he said. ”He is as likely as not to sink the unfortunate boat if he does not find me on board or get a reasonable account of me. I shall have to smooth matters down with a dollar or two.”
A minute later the launch slowed up against the little quay. The three pa.s.sengers stepped ash.o.r.e, Landon full of compliments and thanks. Still waving adieu, he, Muhammed, and the child paced contentedly off into the town. The lieutenant turned seaward again.
A slightly bewildered frown clouded his face as he approached the _Diomede_. The yacht had anch.o.r.ed with the lateen alongside her, and a boat was pulling from her towards the wars.h.i.+p. The lieutenant considered that for yachtsmen he had never seen a boat's crew pull faster.
CHAPTER XI
RATTIER LOSES HIS CALM
Major D'Hubert, Provost Marshal of the French forces occupying Casablanca, grinned widely.
”So you suffered him to escape?” he said.
Commandant Rattier drummed fiercely on the office table.
”Suffered?” he roared. ”I entertained him--the _escroc_! I nourished him; I sent him ash.o.r.e!”
The soldier smiled and looked at Rattier's companion--Aylmer.
”What open-hearted ingenuousness!” he chuckled. ”You and I now, my Captain! When one has been officer of the day a few thousand times, or sat upon a few hundred courts-martial, or acted as _maitre de logis_, one learns to sift a story then. And this one had its weak points, even for a sailor. Would any one not mentally deranged hire a lateen to take him aboard his own yacht? No, I should have required something better imagined than that--I.”
Aylmer shrugged his shoulders.
”The man can make himself of an engaging personality, Major. Our friend acted according to the impulses of his generous soul. But the point is that our man is hidden in the town. We come to you for expert knowledge.
Who would be likely to shelter him, and where? You will pardon our insistence and intrusion, but our need is very pressing. It is the child who is our concern, the child.”
D'Hubert made a gesture of a.s.sent.
”Apart from my sincere affection for our simpleminded commandant, Monsieur, your tale is good enough for any honest man and a father of babes like myself. But this town of Casablanca is, in effect, a haystack. Your quarry has the best of chances to act the needle.”
He opened a door into an outer office and shouted a name.
”Sergeant Perinaud!”
A body filled the doorway and entered, bending the last few inches of its stature. The sergeant saluted and unfolded himself, his eyes reviewing the company with affable respect about two metres above the floor.
”Visit the guardroom at each gate, see the lieutenants of the Spanish police and bring me back a list of parties which have left the town since morning. This is a matter of haste.”
The sergeant saluted again and then hesitated.
”Is it permitted first to speak?” he asked.
The major nodded jerkily.
”It is, by chance, the movements of two men and a woman which are in question?” speculated Perinaud.