★ VIII ★
At that moment Neill saw a white-coated figure appear on the Nadji’s deck, run wildly forward, and disappear through a door. He forgot the Ketterings. The man reappeared on deck with his two mates. They ran into the after house. Presently they came on deck again, flung themselves anyhow into the dinghy, and started pulling crazily for the shore. Neill steeled himself for what was coming.
Virgil, who had not noticed anything amiss, was talking amiably about the city slickers he had known. The men in the dinghy tied their little boat to the wharf in front of the store and came running across the road, white-faced and staring with horror. Virgil broke off suddenly.
“What the heck is the matter with these three fellers?”
“Police!” they gasped out. “We want the police! . . . Wh
