On either side of a fixed washing cabinet there was a bunk, and in one of them lay the man we had seen on the green. The wound upon his head told to what a terrible use the club had been put since he had played with it that afternoon. He had been fiercely struck from behind, and then strong fingers had strangled out whatever life remained in him. He was fully dressed, and there had been little or no struggle. His would-be sportsmanlike attire was barely disarranged, and even in death his pose was stiff, and his set face exhibited no emotion. Quarles lifted up one of his hands and looked at the palm and at the nails. He let the light rest upon the hand that I might see it. Then he pointed to a straight mark across the forehead, just below the hair, and nodded. We were back in the saloon-cabin again when I touched the professor's arm, and in an instant the torch was out. I had caught the sound of splashing oars. "Put the club back under the seat," said Quarles, and then, with movements stealthy as a cat's, he led the way to the galley door. We were in our hiding place not a moment too soon. Two men came hurriedly down the companion. A match was struck, but there was not a chink in the boarding through which we could see into the cabin. It seemed certain they had not discovered our dinghy, and had no suspicion that they were not alone upon the yacht. "It's plain enough. There's no other meaning to it." The speaker had a heavy voice, a gurgle in it, and I judged the heavier tread of the two was his. "Ninety feet, it says, captain; and we measured that string to exactly ninety feet." "Feet might only refer to the four, and not to both figures," was the answer in a sharp, incisive voice. "He said it was both." "And I'm not sure he lied," returned the man addressed as captain. "The distance was originally paced out no doubt, and pacing out ninety feet ain't the same as an exact measurement." "We made allowances," growled the other. "We'd been wiser to go on looking instead of coming back. You're too previous, mate." "You didn't trust him any more'n I did." "No; but he had the name right enough," answered the captain, "and the time--a year last February. I always put that job down to Glider. Let's get back while the dark lasts." "Come to think of it, it's strange Glider should have made a confidant of him," said the other. "Sized him up, and took his chance for the sake of the missus," returned the captain. "I'm not going back until I've seen whether he's got other papers about him." "He chucked his clothes overboard," said the captain. "He'd keep papers tied round him, maybe. I'll soon find out." There was a heavy tread, and the opening of the door of the cabin aft. There was the rending of cloth, and the man swore the whole time, perhaps to keep up his courage for the horrible task. "Nothing!" he said, coming back into the saloon-cabin. "Say, captain, supposing it's all a plant--a trap!"