I'm convinced they are both enemies. Take care of Myra. I may be out
all night. Don't let her worry about me; I may not be back for some
time, but I shall come back all right.--R."

I left this for my friend, knowing that sooner or later he would find
it, and went down to the landing-stage. The _Baltimore II._ and Myra's
boat, the _Jenny Spinner_, were drawn up alongside, and I realised
that if I took the _Jenny_ I should be raising Hilderman's suspicions
at once. Anchored a little way out was another small motor-boat--the
first the General had--which Myra had also called after a trout
fly--the _Coch-a-Bondhu_--though the play upon words was lost on most
people. The boat was still in constant use, and Angus and Hamish
continually went into Mallaig and Glenelg in it to collect parcels and
so on. I ran to the petrol shed, and got three tins of Shell, put them
in the dinghy and pushed out to the _Bondhu_, climbed on board,
sounded the tank, filled it up, and started out across the Loch. I can
only plead my anxiety to get well out of sight and hearing before
Hilderman should think of leaving the house, as an excuse for my
lamentable thoughtlessness on this occasion. Indeed, it was not till
long afterwards that I realised I had forgotten to anchor the dinghy,
and I left it, just as it was, to drift out to sea on the tide.

I made all the pace I could and reached the other side in about twenty
minutes. I was sadly equipped for an adventurous expedition! I had no
flask to sustain me in case of need, no weapon in case I should be
called to defend myself; I was wearing a dinner-jacket, no hat, and a
pair of thin patent-leather pumps!

I ran the boat right in shore, heedless of the danger to the
propeller, in a small sandy cove round the point, so that I was hidden
from Glasnabinnie. Then I realised that I had been a little too
precipitate in my departure. There was no anchor-chain on board, and
the painter was admirably suited for making fast to pier-heads and
landing-stages at high tide, but was nothing like long enough to
enable me to make the craft secure on short. However, I dragged her as
far up as I could, and prayed that I might be able to return before
the tide caught her up and carried her away. In those circumstances I
should have been stranded in the enemy's country, by no means a
pleasing prospect!

Having done the best I could for Myra's faithful motor-boat, I made my
way round the hill, climbing cautiously upwa