J. S. Fletcher

“ I heard him replacing the logs; nothing, I knew, would induce him to risk his own safety, and while he was safe, Pepita would be safe. And I anticipated no immediate risk; Mandhu Khan, I felt sure, had ascertained our whereabouts, and had gone away for the time being. He would come back!—but in the meantime I wanted to know something, and that was if he had come to the island in a boat, and if the boat was in the narrow channel at which we had landed; I had overheard Getch remark to Uncle Joseph that, on that side at any rate, there was no other landing-place. ”

“ I shouted, and they vanished—I heard a sound of somebody going away, amongst the bushes.”
“A man’s hand!” he exclaimed. “Deary me, Benjamin——”
“Listen!” I said, still whispering. “It’s worse than you think. It was a brown man—a brown hand and arm! And I’m certain I know whose—that Hindu chap at Miss Ellingham’s! He came and looked in at the window of the room I was locked up in at the Shooting Star—that night, after dusk. I saw him plainly then—in the lamplight.”
I was watching Uncle Joseph narrowly as I spoke, and I saw that my information hit him hard. ”

“ Getch’ll turn up—he may be hiding somewheres—away from that Hindu. Yes, I think Getch’ll creep in here before long—quiet and secret.”
I was more inclined to damn Getch than to welcome him, but I didn’t say so. Instead, I began to get breakfast ready. Uncle Joseph took another pull at his brandy bottle, and then settled down to keep an eye on the door, his automatic pistol ready to hand. ”

“ We should ha’ landed you—most likely at Newhaven.”
“We’re likely to come to harm now,” I said serenely. “That Hindu chap is up to something! And if Getch came back to the island, where is Getch? I’m about sick of all this devilry!—there’ll be more murder done, if it hasn’t been done already! How do we know that it hasn’t?” ”

“ I said. “Come on! help me to move these boards! You can move them back when I’ve gone. Come! it’s as much in your interest as in mine. If he’s by himself, we can tackle him—if he’s others with him, we’d better know of it.” ”