Carn had a hobby which he had only adopted since his arrival in Baycombe. He was as enthusiastic about it as he was about butterflies and beetles, but he reserved his pleasure for the hours when he was alone. The nearest telephone was at Ilfracombe, and by Carn's orders all letters addressed to Baycombe were opened at the post office there, copied, tested for invisible ink, and forwarded to their destinations after he had been informed of the results of this prying. It was because of divers hints which he had picked up by this means that Carn became so passionately devoted to wireless.
It was on the day following the apotheosis of Bloem, when the remains of his lunch had been cleared away, that Carn'shobby justified its adoption.
As soon as he found himself alone, the detective went over and unlocked his small roll-top writing desk. When this was opened, it revealed an ebonite panel arrayed with the complicated system of knobs, coils, and valves which have now ceased to be regarded as mysteries sealed from all but the scientist. The aerial Carn had fixed for himself among the rafters in the roof; and all the essential wiring was cunningly concealed. There was need of this secrecy, for Carn, who had never served an apprenticeship to a cook while walking his beat, was forced to employ a woman from the village to look after his digestion. Village women talk and the nearest whisper that there was another radio fan in Baycombe, coming to the ears of the Tiger, would have deprived Carn of one of his most promising lines of investigation.
The detective put on the headphones, plugged in, and began his systematic combing of the ether. It was not easy for Carn to use his weapon even when he was convinced of its utility. He never knew at what time the Tiger might have arranged to communicate with his agent; though he did know the discouraging fact that the Tiger always called on a different wavelength. Twice Carn had struck the tail-end of a conversation, and had noted the dialling of his instrument, but the most patient listening had failed to pick up a second message; then, feeling round again. Carn had caught the same signal in a totally different range. Probably the wavelength changed according to a prearranged timetable.
This, however, was Carns lucky day. The Tiger was using a very long wave, and Carn had reversed his usual routine and started at the top to work down the scale. He had not been probing the atmosphere for five minutes before he tuned in on a peculiar high-pitched tremulous whine which he recognized immediately for the note sent out by the Tigers apparatus in the gaps when no speech was coming over. And he had hardly brought the last condenser round to the exact reaction, so that the familiar note was singing in his ears at full strength, when a voice cut clean across the humming.
"Don't start to come in before it's quite dark."
Carn stiffened. He had some idea of what was referred to.
The voice continued: "Be very careful. See that there isn't a light showing anywhere, and slow up to half speed when you're two miles out. Change over to the electric motors at that point Templar stays awake at4iight,and his hearing's exceptionally good."
Then another voice asked, "Can you arrange to guide us in?"
"I'll post a man on the Old House, seaward side, with a green lantern."
"Is there likely to be trouble?"
I can't say yet. I'm hoping to get rid of Templar this evening, but he was born lucky, and he might manage to escape again. Be on the safe side. I've just heard that that might make him back out, squeak to the dicks, and leave the rest to them. I think it's too late for that to matter, but you'd better be prepared for anything."
"I shall."
"Good. Did you get the full crew?"
"Two oilers didn't turn up. I heard just before midnight they were stewed to the gills downtown. I took a chance and left 'em. You said I was to sail punctually."
"Quite right but that leaves you with only eleven, counting yourself, doesn't it?"
"That's so. Chief. But we can manage easy."
"You'll have to.... Now listen. I want you to send the first boat round to the quay. You'll miss the fishermen they'll have gone out on the tide, at ten. Bittle and Bloem will be with me, and Templar might be, too. That depends on what happens, and what I decide to do with him. His servant will go over the cliff just about the time you're picking us up. And I might have to bring the girl along as well. I'm still wondering whether Templar's put her next this joke. In any case, she's very easy on the eyes. I'll get a report shortly, and then I'll be able to think better what to do."
"This is a new one on you, Chief dragging a skirt in. You always swore you wouldn't have it."
The voice of the Tiger snapped back incisively:
"That's my business, Maggs! When I want your opinions I'll ask for them. All you've got to do is have the cabins ready and send that boat to the quay. Get off all the other boats you can man to the Old House. You can get three away, and still keep a guard. And keep the engineer below if we do get raided, the boat crews must shift for themselves, Your men haven't got to do anything but row and if any man catches a crab or talks in the boat I'll flay him alive. Tell 'em that from me. I'll have men on the island to help 'em load, and there's a small derrick there, the one we used for hauling the stuff up first, just waiting to be rigged. You ought to be able to get away by four, if you work."
"Stand on me, Chief."
"See that I don't have to tread on you. Have you got that all in your head?"
"Down to the Amen, Chief."
"Call me at seven, in case there are any alterations to be made in those orders. Good-bye."
The Tiger's transmission shut down with an audible click, and Carn removed the headphones and leaned back in his chair, gazing thoughtfully at the instrument which had enabled him to listen in on that enlightening chat.
Enlightening it certainly was, and no error. Almost the only thing it neglected to reveal to the detective was the identity of the Tiger himself the voice of the man called "Chief had been studiously throttled down to a toneless flat key that was useless as a clue. The Tiger was taking no chances of being caught in person, and he had spoken throughout in a dead level monotone that anyone could have imitated and, in addition, Carn knew the tricks which electricity plays even with a man's natural voice, and he would have looked long and carefully before leaping to accuse anybody of being the Tiger on no other grounds than a fancied vocal resemblance after the valves and magnets and transformers had finished distorting a disguised intonation.