the vanished messenger-第2章
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Harwich。〃
The young man showed signs of some satisfaction。 〃I am very much
obliged to you； sir；〃 he dedared。 〃I promise you I won't be in
the way。〃
The station…master； who had been looking through a little pile of
telegrams brought to him by a clerk from his office； now turned
towards them。 His expression was a little grave。
〃Your special will be backing down directly； sir；〃 he announced；
〃but I am sorry to say that we hear very bad accounts of the line。
They say that this is only the fag…end of the storm that we are
getting here； and that it's been raging for nearly twenty…four
hours on the east coast。 I doubt whether the Harwich boat will be
able to put off。〃
〃We must take our chance about that；〃 Dunster remarked。 〃If the
mail boat doesn't run； I presume there will be something else we
can charter。〃
The station…master looked the curiosity which he did not actually
express in words。
〃Money will buy most things； nowadays； sir；〃 he observed； 〃but if
it isn't fit for our mail boat； it certainly isn't fit for anything
else that can come into Harwich Harbour。 However； you'll hear what
they say when you get there。〃
Mr。 Dunster nodded and relapsed into a taciturnity which was
obviously one of his peculiarities。 The young man strolled down
the platform； and catching up with the inspector； touched him on
the shoulder。
〃Do you know who the fellow is he asked curiously。 〃It's awfully
decent of him to let me go with him； but he didn't seem very keen
about it。〃
The inspector shook his head。
〃No idea； sir；〃 he replied。 〃He drove up just two minutes after
the train had gone； came straight into the office and ordered a
special。 Paid for it； too； in Bank of England notes before he
went out。 I fancy he's an American； and he gave his name as John
P。 Dunster。〃
The young man paused to light a cigarette。
〃If he's an American； I suppose that accounts for it；〃 he observed。
〃He must be in a precious hurry to get somewhere； though。〃
〃A night like this； too！〃 the inspector remarked； with a shiver。
〃I wouldn't leave London myself unless I had to。 They say there's
a tremendous storm blowing on the east coast。 Here comes the train；
sir … just one saloon and the guard's van。〃
The little train backed slowly along the platform side。 The
engine was splashed with mud and soaking wet。 The faces of the
engine…driver and his companion shone from the dripping rain。 The
station…master held open the door of the saloon。
〃You've a rough journey before you； sir；〃 he said。 〃You'll catch
the boat all right； though … if it goes。 The mail train was very
heavy to…night。 You should catch her up this side of Colehester。〃
Mr。 Dunster nodded。
〃I am taking this young gentleman with me；〃 he announced shortly。
〃It seems that he； too； missed the train。 I am much obliged to you；
station…master； for your attention。 Good night！〃
They were about to start when Mr。 Dunster once more let down the
window。
〃By the way；〃 he said； 〃as it is such a wild night； you will oblige
me very much if you will tell the engine…driver that there will be
a five pound note for himself and his companion if we catch the
mail。 Inspector！〃
The inspector touched his hat。 The station…master had turned
discreetly away。 He had been an inspector himself once； and
sovereigns had been useful to him； too。 Then the train glided from
the platform side； plunged with a scream through a succession of
black tunnels； and with rapidly increasing speed faced the storm。
CHAPTER II
The young man sat on one side of the saloon and Mr。 John P。 Dunster
on the other。 Although both of them were provided with a certain
amount of railway literature； neither of them made any pretence at
reading。 The older man； with his feet upon the opposite seat and
his arms folded； was looking pensively through the rain…splashed
window…pane into the impenetrable darkness。 The young man； although
he could not ignore his companion's unsociable instincts； was
fidgety。
〃There will be some floods out to…morrow；〃 he remarked。
Mr。 Dunster turned his head and looked across the saloon。 There
was something in the deliberate manner of his doing so； and his
hesitation before he spoke； which seemed intended to further impress
upon the young man the fact that he was not disposed for conversation。
〃Very likely；〃 was his sole reply。
Gerald Fentolin sighed as though he regretted his companion's
taciturnity and a few minutes later strolled to the farther end of
the saloon。 He spent some time trying to peer through the streaming
window into the darkness。 He chatted for a few minutes with the
guard； who was； however； in a bad temper at having had to turn out
and who found little to say。 Then he took one of his golf clubs
from the bag and indulged in several half swings。 Finally he
stretched himself out upon one of the seats and closed his eyes。
〃May as well try to get a nap；〃 he yawned。 〃There won't be much
chance on the steamer； if it blows like this。〃
Mr。 Dunster said nothing。 His face was set； his eyes were looking
somewhere beyond the confines of the saloon in which he was seated。
So they travelled for over an hour。 The young man seemed to be
dozing in earnest when； with a succession of jerks； the train
rapidly slackened speed。 Mr。 Dunster let down the window。 The
interior of the carriage was at once thrown into confusion。 A
couple of newspapers were caught up and whirled around； a torrent
of rain beat in。 Mr。 Dunster rapidly closed the window and rang
the bell。 The guard came in after a moment or two。 His clothes
were shiny from the wet； raindrops hung from his beard。
〃What is the matter？〃 Mr。 Dunster demanded。 〃Why are we waiting
here？〃
〃There's a block on the line somewhere； the man replied。 〃Can't
tell where exactly。 The signals are against us； that's all we
know at present。〃
They crawled on again in about ten minutes； stopped； and resumed
their progress at an even slower rate。 Mr。 Dunster once more
summoned the guard。
〃Why are we travelling like this？〃 he asked impatiently。 〃We shall
never catch the boat。〃
〃We shall catch the boat all right if it runs； sir；〃 the man assured
him。 〃The mail is only a mile or two ahead of us； that's one reason
why we have to go so slowly。 Then the water is right over the line
where we are now； and we can't get any news at all from the other
side of Ipswich。 If it goes on like this； some of the bridges will
be down； that's what I'm afraid of。〃
Mr。 Dunster frowned。 For the first time he showed some signs of
uneasiness。
〃Perhaps；〃 he muttered； half to himself；〃 a motorcar would have been
better。〃
〃Not on your life；〃 his young companion intervened。 〃All the roads
to the coast here cross no end of small bridges … much weaker
affairs than the railway bridges。 I bet there are some of those
down already。 Besides； you wouldn't be able to see where you were
going； on a night like this。〃
〃There appears to be a chance；〃 Mr。 Dunster remarked drily； 〃that
you will have to scratch for your competition to…morrow。〃
〃Also；〃 the young man observed； 〃that you will have taken this
special train for nothing。 I can't fancy the Harwich boat going
out a night like this。〃
Mr。 Dunster relapsed into stony but anxious silence。 The train
continued its erratic progress； sometimes stopping altogether for
a time； with whistle blowing repeatedly； sometimes creeping along
the metals as though feeling its way to safety。 At last； after a
somewhat prolonged wait； the guard； whose hoarse voice they had
heard on the platform of the small station in which they were
standing； entered the carriage。 With him came a gust of wind； once
more sending the papers flying around the compartment。 The rain
dripped from his clothes on to the carpet。 He had lost his hat；
his hair was tossed with the wind； his face was bleeding from a
slight wound on the temple。
〃The boat train's just ahead of us； sir；〃 he announced。 〃She can't
get on any better than we can。 We've just heard that there's a
bridge down on the line between Ipswich and Harwich。〃
〃What are we going to do； then？〃 Mr。 Dunster demanded。
〃That's ju
