under protest, as it were, you are very likely to get what you want.'
'Our course now seems pretty clear,' said I.
'What would you do, then?'
'I would engage a launch and go down the river on the track of the Aurora.'
'My dear fellow, it would be a colossal task. She may have touched at any wharf on either side of the stream between here and Greenwich. Below the bridge there is a perfect labyrinth of landing-places for miles. It would take you days and days to exhaust them, if you set about it alone.'
'Employ the police, then.'
'No. I shall probably call Athelney Jones in at the last moment. He is not a bad fellow, and I should not like to do anything which would injure him professionally. But I have a fancy for working it out myself, now that we have gone so far.'
