Part 32 (1/2)

I must explain that we had floated up between the yacht and the launch, whose sailors had passed her a little aside in order to give us rooht was just behind and above us, pouring its green rays obliquely over the deck of the 'Dulcibella', while we and the dinghy were in deep shadoeen The most studied calculation could not have secured us more favourable conditions for aof Davies and Doll shortened his sculls, just sat where he was, half turned towards the yacht and looking up at his enemy No lineament of his own face could have been visible to the latter, while those pitiless green rays--you know their ravaging effect on the hunomy--struck full on Dollmann's face It was my first fair view of it at close quarters, and, secure in loom, I feasted with a luxury of superstitious abhorrence on the livid s doards Davies One of the caprices of the crude light was to obliterate, or at any rate so penetrate, beard and moustache, as to reveal in outline lips and chin, the features in which defects of character are most surely betrayed, especially when your victi to melodramatic embroidery; object that my own prejudiced fancy contributed to the result; but I can, nevertheless, never efface the ierated to caricature, that I received in those few instants Another caprice of the light was to identify the er and clean-shaven, in the frontispiece of his own book; and another still, thereseirl who had been with us yesterday

Enough! I shall never offend again in this way In reality I a; for uests had with stertorous puffing risen to the stage, for all the world like a demon out of a trap-door, specially when he entered the zone of that unearthly light And there they stood in a row, like delinquents at judgement, while we, the true culprits, had only passively to accept explanations Of course these were plausible enough Doll had called on his return fro no one aboard, and concluding ere ashore, he had meant to leave a note for Davies in the cabin

His friend, Herr Bohineer',_ was anxious to see over the little vessel that had come so far, and he knew that Davies would not mind the intrusion Not at all, said Davies; would not they stop and have drinks? No, but would we come to supper at Dolle first Up to this point we had been , who alone of the three appeared to be entirely at his ease, made the _retour offensif_

'Where have you been?' he asked

'Oh, rowing about since the fog cleared,' said Davies

I suppose he thought that evasion would pass muster, but as he spoke, I noticed toon the bunch of white cotton-waste that adorned one of the rowlocks: for we had forgotten to reain'; and, lifting one of the guns, let the light flash on its barrel To my own ears hed von Bruning 'No luck, I suppose?'

'No,' said Davies; 'but it ought to be a good ti tide and the banks covered?'

'We saw some,' said Davies, sullenly

'I tell you what,sportsmen, you're rash to leave your boat at anchor here after dark without a light I came aboard to find your lamp and set it'

'Oh, thanks,' said Davies; 'we took it with us'

'To see to shoot by?'

We laughed uncomfortably, and Davies coht come in useful' Happily the matter went no farther, for the position was a strained one at the best, and would not bear lengthening The launch went alongside, and the invaders evacuated British soil, looking, for all von Bruning's flippant nonchalance, a rather crestfallen party So e to whisper to Davies, while the transhi+p: 'Ask Dollmann to stay while we dress'

'Why?' he whispered

'Go on'

'I say, Herr Dollmann,' said Davies, 'won't you stay on board with us while we dress? There's a lot to tell you, and--and we can folloith you e're ready'

Dollmann had not yet stepped into the launch 'With pleasure,' he said; but there followed an o, Dollmann, and let them alone,' he said brusquely

'You'll be horribly in the way down there, and we shall never get any supper if you keep theht o'clock,' grumbled Herr Bohme from his corner behind the hood Dollmann submitted, and excused hi,' said Davies, as he helped, alh--eh?'

'I knew they'd object--only wanted to make sure'

The cabin was just as we had left it, our shore clothes lying in disorder on the bunks, a locker or two half open

'Well, I wonder what they did down here,' said Davies