boxes, cigarette case and lighter and other odds
and ends were collected. Mrs. Clapperton thanked
him politely, then she swept down the deck and
said, "John--"
PROBLEM AT SEA
199
Colonel Clapperton was still deep in conversa-on
with Miss Henderson. He swung round and
quickly to meet his wife. He bent over her
y. Her deck chair--was it in the right
Wouldn't it be better--? His manner was
rteous--full of gentle consideration. Clearly
an adored wife spoilt by an adoring husband.
Miss Ellie Henderson looked out at the horizon
as though something about it rather disgusted her.
Standing in the smoking-room door, Poirot
looked on.
A hoarse quavering voice behind him said:
"I'd take a hatchet to that woman if I were her
husband." The old gentleman known disrespect-fully
among the Younger Set on board as the
Grandfather of All the Tea Planters, had just
shuffled in. "'Boy!" he called. "Get me a whisky
peg."
Poirot stooped to retrieve a torn scrap of
an overlooked item from the contents
of Mrs. Clapperton's bag. Part of a prescription,
noted, containing digitalin. He put it in his
pocket, meaning to restore it to Mrs. Clapperton
later.