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第29节

the red house mystery-第29节

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〃You're a splendid conspirator; Bill。 You and I could take on 
anything together。〃 

The pond was waiting for them; more solemn in the moonlight。 The 
trees which crowned the sloping bank on the far side of it were 
mysteriously silent。 It seemed that they had the world very much to 
themselves。 

Almost unconsciously Antony spoke in a whisper。 

〃There's your tree; there's mine。 As long as you don't move; there's 
no chance of his seeing you。 After he's gone; don't come out till I do。 
He won't be here for a quarter of an hour or so; so don't be impatient。〃 

〃Righto;〃 whispered Bill。 

Antony gave him a nod and a smile; and they walked off to their posts。 

The minutes went by slowly。 To Antony; lying hidden in the 
undergrowth at the foot of his tree; a new problem was presenting itself。 
Suppose Cayley had to make more than one journey that night? He might 
come back to find them in the boat; one of them; indeed; in the water。 
And if they decided to wait in hiding; on the chance of Cayley coming 
back again; what was the least time they could safely allow? Perhaps it 
would be better to go round to the front of the house and watch for his 
return there; the light in his bedroom; before conducting their experiments 
at the pond。 But then they might miss his second visit in this way; if he 
made a second visit。 It was difficult。 

His eyes were fixed on the boat as he considered these things; and 
suddenly; as if materialized from nowhere; Cayley was standing by the 
boat。 In his hand was a small brown bag。 

Cayley put the bag in the bottom of the boat; stepped in; and using an 

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The Red House Mystery 

oar as a punt…pole; pushed slowly off。 Then; very silently; he rowed 
towards the middle of the pond。 

He had stopped。 The oars rested on the water。 He picked up the bag 
from between his feet; leant over the nose of the boat; and rested it lightly 
on the water for a moment。 Then he let go。 It sank slowly。 He waited 
there; watching; afraid; perhaps; that it might rise again。 Antony began to 
count。。。。 

And now Cayley was back at his starting…place。 He tied up the boat; 
looked carefully round to see that he had left no traces behind him; and 
then turned to the water again。 For a long time; as it seemed to the 
watchers; he stood there; very big; very silent; in the moonlight。 At last 
he seemed satisfied。 Whatever his secret was; he had hidden it; and so 
with a gentle sigh; as unmistakable to Antony as if he had heard it; Cayley 
turned away and vanished again as quietly as he had come。 

Antony gave him three minutes; and stepped out from the trees。 He 
waited there for Bill to join him。 

〃Six;〃 whispered Bill。 

Antony nodded。 

〃I'm going round to the front of the house。 You get back to your tree 
and watch; in case Cayley comes again。 Your bedroom is the left…hand 
end one; and Cayley's the end but one? Is that right?〃 

Bill nodded。 

〃Right。 Wait in hiding till I come back。 I don't know how long I 
shall be; but don't be impatient。 It will seem longer than it is。〃 He 
patted Bill on the shoulder; and with a smile and a nod of the head he left 
him there。 

What was in the bag? What could Cayley want to hide other than a 
key or a revolver? Keys and revolvers sink of themselves; no need to put 
them in a bag first。 What was in the bag? Something which wouldn't 
sink of itself; something which needed to be helped with stones before it 
would hide itself safely in the mud。 

Well; they would find that out。 There was no object in worrying 
about it now。 Bill had a dirty night's work in front of him。 But where 
was the body which Antony had expected so confidently or; if there were 

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The Red House Mystery 

no body; where was Mark? 

More immediately; however; where was Cayley? As quickly as he 
could Antony had got to the front of the house and was now lying in the 
shrubbery which bordered the lawn; waiting for the light to go up in 
Cayley's window。 If it went up in Bill's window; then they were 
discovered。 It would mean that Cayley had glanced into Bill's room; had 
been suspicious of the dummy figure in the bed; and had turned up the 
light to make sure。 After that; it was war between them。 But if it went 
up in Cayley's room…

There was a light。 Antony felt a sudden thrill of excitement。 It was 
in Bill's room。 War! 

The light stayed there; shining vividly; for a wind had come up; 
blowing the moon behind a cloud; and casting a shadow over the rest of 
the house。 Bill had left his curtains undrawn。 It was careless of him; 
the first stupid thing he had done; but 

The moon slipped out again。。。。 and Antony laughed to himself in the 
bushes。 There was another window beyond Cayley's; and there was no 
light in it。 The declaration of war was postponed。 

Antony lay there; watching Cayley into bed。 After all it was only 
polite to return Cayley's own solicitude earlier in the night。 Politeness 
demanded that one should not disport oneself on the pond until one's 
friends were comfortably tucked up。 

Meanwhile Bill was getting tired of waiting。 His chief fear was that 
he might spoil everything by forgetting the number 〃six。〃 It was the 
sixth post。 Six。 He broke off a twig and divided it into six pieces。 
These he arranged on the ground in front of him。 Six。 He looked at the 
pond; counted up to the sixth post; and murmured 〃six〃 to himself again。 
Then he looked down at his twigs。 One…two…three…four…five…six…seven。 
Seven! Was it seven? Or was that seventh bit of a twig an accidental 
bit which had been on the ground anyhow? Surely it was six! Had he 
said 〃six〃 to Antony? If so; Antony would remember; and it was all right。 
Six。 He threw away the seventh twig and collected the other six together。 
Perhaps they would be safer in his pocket。 Six。 The height of a tall 
man … well; his own height。 Six feet。 Yes; that was the way to 

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The Red House Mystery 

remember it。 Feeling a little safer on the point; he began to wonder about 
the bag; and what Antony would say to it; and the possible depth of the 
water and of the mud at the bottom; and was still so wondering; and 
saying; 〃Good Lord; what a life!〃 to himself; when Antony reappeared。 

Bill got up and came down the slope to meet him。 

〃Six;〃 he said firmly。 〃Sixth post from the end。〃 

〃Good;〃 smiled Antony。 〃Mine was the eighteenth … a little way past 
it。〃 

〃What did you go off for?〃 

〃To see Cayley into bed。〃 

〃Is it all right?〃 

〃Yes。 Better hang your coat over the sixth post; and then we shall see 
it more easily。 I'll put mine on the eighteenth。 Are you going to undress 
here or in the boat?〃 

〃Some here; and some in the boat。 You're quite sure that you 
wouldn't like to do the diving yourself?〃 

〃Quite; thanks。〃 

They had walked round to the other side of the pond。 Coming to the 
sixth post of the fence; Bill took off his coat and put it in position; and 
then finished his undressing; while Antony went off to mark the eighteenth 
post。 When they were ready; they got into the boat; Antony taking the 
oars。 

〃Now; Bill; tell me as soon as I'm in a line with your two marks。〃 

He rowed slowly towards the middle of the pond。 

〃You're about there now;〃 said Bill at last。 

Antony stopped rowing and looked about him。 

〃Yes; that's pretty well right。〃 He turned the boat's nose round until it 
was pointing to the pine…tree under which Bill had lain。 〃You see my tree 
and the other coat?〃 

〃Yes;〃 said Bill。 

〃Right。 Now then; I'm going to row gently along this line until we're 
dead in between the two。 Get it as exact as you can … for your own sake。〃 

〃Steady!〃 said Bill warningly。 〃Back a little。。。。 a little more。。。。 a little 
more forward again。。。。 Right。〃 Antony left the oars on the water and 

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The Red House Mystery 

looked around。 As far as he could tell; they were in an exact line with 

each pair of landmarks。 

〃Now then; Bill; in you go。〃 

Bill pulled off his shirt and trousers; and stood up。 

〃You mustn't dive from the boat; old boy;〃 said Antony hastily。 〃You'll 
shift its position。 Slide in gently。〃 

Bill slid in from the stern and swam slowly round to Antony。 

〃What's it like?〃 said Antony。 

〃Cold。 Well; here's luck to it。〃 

He gave a sudden kick; flashed for a moment in the water; and was 
gone。 Antony steadied the boat; and took another look at his landmarks。 

Bill came up behind him with a loud explosion。 〃It's pretty muddy;〃 
he protested。 

〃Weeds?〃 

〃No; thank the Lord。〃 

〃Well; try again。 

Bill gave another kick and disappeared。 Again Antony coaxed the 
boat back into position; and again Bill popped up; this time in front of 
him。 

〃I feel that if I threw you a sardine;〃 said Antony; with a smile; 〃you'd 
catch it in your mouth quite prettily。〃 

〃It's awfully easy to be funny from where you are。 How much longer 
have I got to go on doing this?〃 

Antony looked at his watch。 

〃About three hours。 We must get back before daylight。 But be 
quicker if you can; because it's rather cold for me sitting here。〃 

Bill flicked a handful of water at him and disappear

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