"There is music in the air," observed Mortimer thoughtfully. "By gad," cried Tommy, "those must be our spoons. Trot 'em out, my son; the game's up, you know." Somewhat reluctantly, the stranger inserted his hand into the gaping orifice which served him as a pocket, and drew out a large number of spoons wrapped up in a duster. He laid them on the table. "Thank you," said Tommy; "and now if we may trouble you for the forks--ah, much obliged." The forks followed, similarly protected, the stranger all the time throwing little furtive glances round the room, first at one of us and then at the other. While this interesting operation was in progress I had been occupying myself mixing drinks. I offered one to Tommy, but he waved it aside. "A guest," he said, "especially an uninvited one, should always be served first." I handed the tumbler to the stranger, who accepted it with a grin and a nod. "And now," said Tommy, when we were all three similarly equipped, "I think it would be more friendly if we knew something about each other." He turned to the stranger. "Wouldn't you like to tell us your name, old sport?" Our visitor looked at him cunningly. "Me, guv'nor?" he said. "I'm the Dock o' Wellington." "Ah!" replied Tommy politely. "I was sure I'd seen your face somewhere. If you won't think me inquisitive, may I ask what brought you to the island?" The duke took a long drink. Then he jerked his thumb towards the steps. "That there ruddy boat, guv'nor," he replied casually. "I said so," cried Mortimer. "Now perhaps you'll apologize, Tommy." "What I want to know," I interrupted, "is why you didn't clear out when you heard us on the bank." The duke eyed me contemptuously. "And 'ave you raisin' the 'ole bloomin' country on me. I don't think!" "No, no," broke in Mortimer; "his grace is a sound tactician. If he could have cut off with the boat and left us here, he'd have been in clover." "As it is," I observed, "he's in the soup." "Still, it wasn't much good your making for the other side of the island," went on Mortimer, addressing our guest. "You couldn't get off that way." "Ho, couldn't I?" remarked the duke, with some scorn. "If I'd 'a' got to the bank fust you'd 'ave know'd all about that. It'd take six o' your sort to ketch me in the water." Tommy brought his hand down on the table with a sudden bang that made us all jump. "By Jove," he cried, "here's the very man we want! Listen here, Whiskers. Suppose we find a way of settling this little business without handing you over to the police, eh?" The duke blinked at him without any visible sign of emotion. "Wotjer gettin' at?" he inquired imperturbably. "Well, the fact is," explained Tommy, "I've got a little wager with the distinguished-looking gentleman in the arm-chair. I've bet him that I could land the best swimmer in the world with a salmon rod inside of half an hour." "'Ave yer, guv'nor?" observed the duke. "Then ye can take it from me yer on a loser."