rstood the order to return. But this plea would be invalidated if
he aided in the escape of two men, whom he must know were wanted by
the police. I was therefore very confident that if his passengers
asked to be set ashore, the captain would refuse when he had had time
to think about his own danger. My estimate proved accurate, for
towards one o'clock the lock-keeper came in and said the green and red
lights of an approaching craft were visible, and as he spoke the yacht
whistled for the opening of the lock. I stood by the lock-keeper while
he opened the gates; my men and the local police were concealed on
each side of the lock. The launch came slowly in, and as soon as it
had done so I asked the captain to step ashore, which he did.

'I wish a word with you,' I said. 'Follow me.'

I took him into the lock-keeper's house and closed the door.

'Where are you going?'

'To Havre.'

'Where did you come from?'

'Paris.'

'From what quay?'

'From the Pont de Neuilly.'

'When did you leave there?'

'At five minutes to four o'clock this afternoon.'

'Yesterday afternoon, you mean?'

'Yesterday afternoon.'

'Who engaged you to make this voyage?'

'An American; I do not know his name.'

'He paid you well, I suppose?'

'He paid me what I asked.'

'Have you received the money?'

'Yes, sir.'

'I may inform you, captain, that I am Eugene Valmont, chief detective
of the French Government, and that all the police of France at this
moment are under my control. I ask you, therefore, to be careful of
your answers. You were ordered by a policeman at Denouval to return.
Why did you not do so?'

'The lock-keeper ordered me to return, but as he had no right to order
me, I went on.'

'You knew very well it was the police who ordered you, and you ignored
the command. Again I ask you why you did so.'

'I did not know it was the police.'

'I thought you would say that. You knew very well, but were paid to
take the risk, and it is likely to cost you dear. You had two
passengers aboard?'

'Yes, sir.'

'Did you put them ashore between here and Denouval?'

'No, sir; but one of them went overboard, and we couldn't find him
again.'

'Which one?'

'The short man.'

'Then the American is still aboard?'

'What American, sir?'

'Captain, you must not trifle with me. The man who engaged you is
still aboard?'

'Oh, no, sir; he has never been aboard.'

'Do you mean to tell me that the second man who came on you