The
ditching outfit that I've hired is due to arrive at the Key on Saturday
night. I promised to meet it and see it up the river. We'll start up
river Monday morning. I'll be on that dredger all the way up, Garman.
"Don't waste your time. There'll be no interference. In fact, if she
needs help you can borrow the old Cormorant for a tugboat."
"No, thanks. They do their own towing."
"All right. But there's no sense of your going down there and wasting
your whole Sunday on Gumbo Key. I suppose you'd do that; prejudice
against breaking the Sabbath and all that? I thought so; it goes with
the illusions. But there's no need for it this time--and I've been
specially ordered to invite you down to my little place for Sunday
afternoon. If you knew who issued the order you'd come, I know. It
will be sort of an affair to welcome you to our midst. Better come,
Payne; besides somebody you want to meet properly, there'll be a
certain man there you ought to meet. Sunday afternoon."
"Will Mrs. Livingstone be there?"
"Pooh! Pay no attention to that. She'll be tamed by Sunday. Come
about two. In the evening if you wish I'll have the Cormorant run you
down the river to Gumbo Key." He paused and with a flicker of a smile
added the words which he knew would evoke but one reply: "Of course if
you fear it's a trap----"
"At two Sunday afternoon?" said Roger.
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