Part 43 (2/2)

”It will move us soon,” Jake rejoined

When they reached the corner Jieese were obviously restless and he crouched as low as he could get

Jake found a hollow in the bank where the sand, undermined by the current, had fallen down, and stood with the water creeping to his feet He iined it would nearly reach his waist in s began again and harsh cries echoed in the un when Jiht The bank behind Jilih he did not know if he had heard a noise or not, Jake looked round and saw a long gray object slide out of the mist It was indistinct and very low in the water, but he kneas a shooting punt It drifted up the channel towards hi it with a short paddle A blurred figure lay in the well behind a bunch of reeds, and the only bold line was the barrel of the big punt-gun that would throw a pound of shot Ji the other way, but it was obvious that the gunner could see hiainst the bank

As a rule, one cannot aiun; one must turn the punt, and Jake noted that the craft swerved The long barrel was now in line with Ji towards the bank for conceal sinister about his quiet approach He remembered that Shanks owned the only punt on the lower bay He waited a fewto call out, lest he should spoil his co disturbed The punt was about fifty yards from Jim and the heavy shot would not spread ical, but he did not like the way the big gun pointed

When the punt was level with hiure on board did not ht up the channel Jake did not know if this was significant or not, because the current eddied, but he iun to his shoulder and a red flash leaped from the muzzle There was a splash, but next er The goose ca lied into the channel

”Pick up your bird and get across,” he shouted, while the current rippled about his legs

For the next minute or two they were occupied The tide ran fast, the bottooose drifted away He reached it, however, and they calieese had flown off and the punt had vanished in the fog

”We stopped long enough, but we've got a brant and a gray-lag You ought to be satisfied,” he said

”I'd have got another if you hadn't been so anxious to get across,” Jiht I saw soun”

”Yes,” said Jake, dryly, ”Shanks' punt!”

”Of course! nobody else keeps a punt on the low marsh Well, we spoiled his shot and I expect he'll feel he has a fresh grievance

That is, if he kneho I was”

”I reckon he knew all right,” Jake remarked ”nobody else has been on the sands for some weeks”

Jim looked at hiet hoh

This sport is pretty good, but you need a punt I'll order one from the fellow across the bay”

They set off and Jake could not tell if he had excited his comrade's suspicions Jim was soht not be justified, but he wondered ould have happened had he not moved out from the bank

CHAPTER XIII

MORDAUNT'S REPULSE

Shortly after his visit to the lawyer, Mordaunt walked over to Whitelees It was about four o'clock in the afternoon, and it would soon be dark, but although he had soo he did not walk fast Tea was served early at Whitelees and, as a rule, Mrs Halliday afterwards went to sleep Mordaunt wanted to arrive when she had done so, and his leisurely progress gave him time to think

He enerally agreed, but he was not sure he would have thought about irl ould suit hie to consolidate the family property, since both would inherit some part of Bernard's estate Mordaunt knew Mrs Halliday saw this, for she had been his friend until Jiht Ji, and Mordaunt did not hten her

The loss of his West Indian investe, but he did not feel that he was doing a shabby thing Evelyn understood hi that she had obviously been attracted by Ji He did not irl he hoped would be his wife