They have their own snug secret way, and they won't
be hurried. I know Germans, and they are mad about working to a
plan. Where the devil can I get a book of Tide Tables?'
Whittaker brightened up. 'It's a chance,' he said. 'Let's go over
to the Admiralty.'
We got into two of the waiting motor-cars--all but Sir Walter,
who went off to Scotland Yard--to 'mobilize MacGillivray', so he said.
We marched through empty corridors and big bare chambers
where the charwomen were busy, till we reached a little room lined
with books and maps. A resident clerk was unearthed, who
presently fetched from the library the Admiralty Tide Tables. I sat
at the desk and the others stood round, for somehow or other I had
got charge of this expedition.
It was no good. There were hundreds of entries, and so far as I
could see 10.17 might cover fifty places. We had to find some way
of narrowing the possibilities.
I took my head in my hands and thought. There must be some
way of reading this riddle. What did Scudder mean by steps? I
thought of dock steps, but if he had meant that I didn't think he
would have mentioned the number. It must be some place where
there were several staircases, and one marked out from the others
by having thirty-nine steps.
Then I had a sudden thought, and hunted up all the steamer
sailings. There was no boat which left for the Continent at 10.
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