★ XV ★
Bonniger arranged to have his party of sixteen men carried up the road in three cars at intervals of five minutes, in order not to attract too much attention in the village. Bonniger himself and Neill went in the first car. Neill, taken by surprise and having no time to plan anything, rode like a man who has received a blow on the head. For the moment his wits had failed him.
All my own fault, he thought; if I had not pitched that money overboard in a passion Janet would still be safe.
Captain Bickel, who had been notified by telephone of their coming, was waiting on the shore. He said: “I borrowed an additional skiff from the farmer up the beach to save time.”
This was another setback for Neill. If he was able to separate himself from the party he counted on using that skif
