A SHADY PAIR
211
idea how to do it. He might manage to paint letters, but he had absolutely not the shghtest idea what a sower looked hke. ' It’s got to be ready by to-morrow night,’ Fatty had said to him. ‘ You needn’t worry,’ Bender had replied. ‘ It’ll be done.’ Night fell. A slight wind rose and stars appeared. All the passengers were asleep, but the shady pair were wideawake. Shortly after midnight Bender crept out of his cabin, and the faithful Hippolyte shadowed him like a ghost. They went up on deck and came to the place where the chair was buried under the canvases. Very care fully they cleared it, set it upright, and Bender began to unpick the upholstery. This done, he thrust his hand into the stuffing. The wind was whistling over the deck. Overhead stretched the starry sky and below them the splashing water. The river-banks were out of sight. Hippolyte was shivering with excitement. ‘ They’re here ! ’ said Bender in a muffled voice. ‘ They’re here ! ’ he repeated. ‘ Take this ! ’ And Hippolyte took hold of a flat wooden box, while Bender continued to burrow in the chair. ‘ Well, I’m damned! ’ said Bender; ‘ there’s nothing else here ! ’
- N-n-nonsense ! ’ stammered Hippolyte.
' Look for yourself then ! ’ said Bender. Hardly daring to breathe, Hippolyte thrust his hand into the seat of the chair. He felt the springs with his fingers and they were the only hard objects he could feel. The chair smelt musty. ‘ Well,’ said Bender, ' anything there ? ’ ‘ Nothing,’ said Hippolyte. Bender picked up the chair and flung it overboard. A loud splash and it had gone Both men were shivering as they went down again to their cabin.
