CHAPTER X
IN WHICH ALLAN IS VERY WISE
'I--I--I didn't know,' stammered poor Tricksy.
'What is it?' cried the others, pressing round to look.
'It's one of the orders that were stolen,' said Allan.
'Tell them where you found it, Tricksy,' said Hamish.
'It was in the box-room, where the spare coats and the fishing basketsare kept,' said Tricksy. 'I went to see if Reggie's knife was in thepocket of his old great-coat, and when I pulled it off the shelf thisfluttered down.'
'Well,' said Allan, while the others were dumb with astonishment, 'thisbeats me altogether. It wasn't _we_ who were the thieves!'
Every one looked at the order, and turned it round, and examined theback of it, but there was no clue to the mystery.
'Let's go and have a thorough search of the box-room,' said Marjorie;'who knows what we may bring to light.'
'Take my pony, Tricksy,' said Reggie considerately. 'Those who haven'tponies will have to walk. Don't begin the search until we are allthere!'
When the walkers reached Ardnavoir they found the others standing guardat the door of the box-room.
'Now!' said Marjorie, throwing open the door; and they all burst in.
All the garments were taken down from the shelves and unfolded andshaken, but nothing was to be found. Every pocket was turned out; butthe contents were only pebbles, and bits of string, and pieces of driedseaweed.
All the fishing baskets were opened and peeped into, and turned upsidedown and shaken, but without result.
Afterwards they pulled out the boxes that were ranged against the wall,and looked behind them, but no postal orders were found.
'This box is unfastened,' cried Tricksy; 'let's look inside it.'
'Do you think we should do that,' demurred Hamish; 'Mrs. Stewart mightobject.'
'Can't stop to think of that in a case of necessity,' replied Reggie,and Marjorie's hands were soon in the trunk.
Furs smelling strongly of camphor, some old chair covers, then aquantity of frocks and boys' suits grown too small, and a layer ofboots at the bottom.
'Nothing there,' said Marjorie, cramming the things into the box again.
'These other trunks are all locked,' said Reggie, trying them one afterthe other.
'They'll have to be opened when the police come,' observed Hamish.
Marjorie and Allan looked at each other.
'Do you think we ought to bring the police back at this time?' askedMarjorie in an undertone.
Allan sat down on a box, and the others all followed his example.
'We've got to consider what's to be done about this discovery,' beganAllan. 'The first question is, have you showed the order to Pater orMother already, Hamish?'
'Not yet,' said Hamish.
'Well, then,' said Allan, 'we've got to make up our minds whether we'dbetter do it or not.'
Hamish looked astonished.
'I don't see how there can be any doubt about that,' he began. 'Surelyit's the very first----'
Marjorie, Allan, and Reggie were all looking at each other.
'We couldn't possibly keep back evidence like this,' pursued Hamish.
Marjorie's and Reggie's eyes were saying 'Don't tell them.'
Allan pushed his hair back from his forehead, thrust his hands into hispockets, and then turned to Hamish again.
'We've got to think of a lot of things in an affair like this,' hesaid. 'For instance----'
'It seems to me there's only one way of looking at it,' replied Hamish,his slow voice becoming steadier. 'You've got an important piece ofevidence which may prove the turning-point of the case, and you don'teven tell your father and mother.'
'_I_ think Hamish is in the right,' broke in Tricksy's little voice.
A glance from Reggie caused her to quail and Allan turned upon Hamish.
'Now, Hamish, old fellow, don't you jolly well make an ass of yourself.We find ourselves in this predic.; either we've got to shut up aboutthis valuable find, or have the police poking about the island whenthey're not wanted.'
'We've all three voted against you, so you are in a minority, Hamish,'broke in Marjorie, her voice sharp with vexation.
Hamish became very red, and looked at them steadily.
'I can't act contrary to the wishes of the majority,' he said, sincewe've made a Compact; but I wish to say that I think you are making agreat mistake and that I think we shall all have cause to regret whatyou are doing.'
There was no reply since none could be made, and the meeting closed inan uncomfortable silence.
'Tear, tear,' they heard Duncan's voice saying in irritable tonesoutside the door; 'what will hev become of ahl ta young ladies andgentlemen? They will ahl pe away just at ta ferry time when they willbe wanted. They will pe after some nonsense. I will ahlways pe themosst afraid when they are ferry quiet when Mr. Allan will pe withthem. He iss so sensible and wiselike, iss Mr. Allan, that when hefinds mischiefs for them to do they will ahlways pe the ferry worstkinds of mischief, whateffer.'
Adventure League Page 9
