He knew the geography of the place well,--the corner of the barn, the steeple beyond, and the watcher lying in a direct line.
His cipher was explained! Perfectly cool now, Julian thought with some regret of the revolver which he had scorned to bring.

He occupied himself, during these seconds of watching, by considering with care what his next action was to be.
If he even set his foot upon the shingle, the watcher below would take alarm, and if he once ran away, pursuit was hopeless.

The figure, so far as he could distinguish it, was more like that of a boy than a man.

Julian began to calculate coolly the chances of an immediate intervention.

Then things happened, and for a moment he held his breath.
The line of light had shot out once more, and this time it seemed to reveal something, something which rose out of the water and which looked like nothing so much as a long strip of zinc piping.