For a moment I thought it was Craig back again."
"He's gone to New York, or going to-morrow morning," Jim replied. "I don't
think he's so powerful fond of your company that he'd come round here
looking for it."
Quest strolled off again and glanced at his watch as he rejoined the
little group.
"Well," he said, "I think we'll turn in. Seven o'clock to-morrow morning,
Inspector. Jim's sending one of the boys with us and we shall catch the
Eastern Limited at the junction."
The Inspector yawned.
"This open-air life makes me sleepy," he confessed.
"To bed, all of us," Quest concluded, turning away.
3.
Quest awoke the next morning, stretched out his hand and glanced at the
watch by the side of his bed. It was barely six o'clock. He turned over
and dozed again, looked again at half-past six, and finally, at a few
minutes to seven, rose and made a hasty toilet. Then, in the act of
placing his watch in his waistcoat pocket, he gave a sudden start. By its
side, half covered by the handkerchief which he had thrown upon the little
table, stood a small black box! For a moment he was motionless. Then he
stretched out his hand, removed the lid and drew out the usual neatly
folded piece of paper:--
"Even time fights you. It loses that you may lose.
"THE HANDS."
Quest for a moment was puzzled. Then he hurried into the next tent, where
the Professor was sleeping peacefully.
"Say, Professor, what's the time by your watch?" Quest asked, shaking him
gently.
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