farther away from the door."

They moved to the farther end of the room and sat down.

"Mr Burnett has been knocked on the head and then nearly drowned," said
the lieutenant.

Mr Drummond cried aloud in horror. Topham made a warning gesture.

"This is not to be talked about at present," he said in a guarded
voice. "The facts simply are that I'm in command of a patrol-boat, and
last night we were off the Berwickshire coast when we found your friend
in the water with a bad wound in his head and a piece of cord tied
round his feet."

"You mean some one had tried to murder him?" cried Mr Drummond.

"It looked rather like it," said Topham drily.

"And him a minister too!" gasped Mr Drummond.

"So we found later."

"But you'd surely tell that from his clothes!"

"He had no clothes when we found him."

"No clothes on! Then do you mean----"

"We took him straight back to the base," continued the lieutenant
quickly, "and finally he came round and was able to talk a little.
Then we learned his name and heard of you, and Captain Blacklock asked
me to run up and let you know he was safe, and also get you to check
one or two of his statements. Mr Burnett is naturally a little
light-headed at present."

Mr Drummond was a persistent gentleman.

"But do you mean you found him with no clothes on right out at sea?"

"No; close under the cliffs."

"Did you see him fall into the water?"

"We heard a cry, and picked him up shortly afterwards," said the
lieutenant, rather evasively, Mr Drummond thought.

"However, the main thing is that he will recover all right. You can
rest assured he is being well looked after."

"I'd like to know more about this," said Mr Drummond with an air of
determination.

"So would we," said Topham drily, "and I'd just like to ask you one or
two questions, if I may. Mr Burnett was on his way to the Windy
Islands, I believe?"

"He was. He had got all his papers and everything ready to start
to-night."

"You feel sure of that?"

"He wrote and told me so himself."

Lieutenant Topham nodded in silence. Then he inquired--

"Do you know a Mr Taylor?"

"Taylor? I know a John Taylor----"

"Who comes from Lancashire and keeps a motor-car?"

"No," said Mr Drummond. "I don't know that one. Why?"

"Then you didn't send a long telegram to Mr Burnett yesterday telling
him that Mr Taylor would call for him in his motor-car and drive him to
your house?"

"Certainly not!" cried Mr