“I suppose you know that theGladious and theIvy were out at sea all last night, and theEdith part of the night, searching for theDo-me ?”

“Of course,” replied Telfer.

“And you know that Wilton, on hisMarlin, went out this morning to follow Swordfish Reef to the southward because yesterday’s current set to thesouth, and it is known that Spinks suggested to his angler trying for sharks over the reef?”

“Of course, I know it. Ain’t I a policeman? TheIvy has gone south today, hugging the coast, and theDorothea has made out towards Montague Island. I’ve just come down from the headland. The wind is freshening from the east’ard. I saw theGladious and theEdith both well out, heading for home. There’s no sail in sight to indicate theDo-me making to port with the wind.”

Constable Telfer produced his notebook.

“Mrs Spinks and the girl state that William Spinks took no extra clothes and no food other than what Mrs Spinks put into his lunch-basket,” he read in a monotone. “At seven-thirty yesterday morning the garage truck delivered six six-gallon drums of petrol to theDo-me, and the driver states that Spinks said he would then have a full load of fuel and wouldn’t require none for today’s fishing. At the hotel they state that Mr Ericson took only tucker and his thermos-flask for his lunch; and, further, that he left instructions that if Martin, the Cobargo solicitor, arrived at Bermagui before he got back he was to be entertained at his, Ericson’s, expense. It’s evident that Mr Ericson and his launchmen did not think they would not get back to port last evening. And they’re still not back, being twenty-two hours overdue.”

Blade offered a remark.

“That’s certainly not normal in the calm weather we’ve had.”

“No, it isn’t. If it had been blowing a nor’easter we could say that theDo-me was sheltering at Montague Island, with which there is only semaphore communication, and that possible only in clear weather. But, Blade, the sea has been calm, extra special calm.”