"All, I believe. Chinn has drawn up a new will for me, which I have signed, and it lies at this moment in my deed-box. I took the liberty to appoint you an executor." "You would not ask me to survive you!" (O Friendship! O exemplars of a sterner age! O Rome! O Cato!) "Not to mention," went on the Doctor, "that I must be by five or six years your senior, and in the ordinary course of events--" Major Hymen dismissed the ordinary course of events with a wave of the hand. "I ask it as a personal favour." "It is an honour then, and I accede." "For the rest, I am keeping that fellow Smellie on the _qui vive_. For three days past he has been promenading the cliffs with his spy-glass. I would not lightly depreciate any man, but Smellie has one serious fault--he is ambitious." "Such men are to be found in every walk of life." "I fear so. Ambition is like to be Smellie's bane. He is jealous of sharing any credit with the Preventive crews, and is keeping them without information. On the other hand he delights in ordering about a military force; which, in a civilian, is preposterous." "Quite preposterous." "The Dragoons, of course, hate working under his orders: but I shall be surprised if he resist the temptation to call them in and dress himself in a little brief authority. Further, I have word from Polperro that he is getting together a company of the Sea Fencibles. In short, he is playing into our hands." "But the boats?" "They are here." "Here?" The Doctor's eyes grew round with wonder. The Major swept a hand towards the horizon. "For two days we have been enjoying a steady southerly breeze. They are yonder, you may be sure--the three of them: and that is where Smellie makes a mistake in not employing the cutter." "And the long-boats?" "The long-boats are lying, as they have lain for three weeks past, in Runnells' yard, awaiting repairs. Runnells is a dilatory fellow and has gone no farther than to fill them with water up to the thwarts, to test their stanchness." Here the Major allowed himself to smile. "But Runnells, though dilatory, will launch them after dusk, while the tide suits." "The tide makes until five o'clock." "Until five-twenty, to be correct. Before seven o'clock they will be launched." "You play a bold game, dear friend. Suppose, now, that Smellie _had_ kept the cutter cruising off the coast?"