"But the launch? They could not have taken that to their lodgings."
"可是他不能夠把這只船也帶到巢穴里去呀。"
"Quite so. I argued that the launch must be no great way off, in spite of its invisibility.
"當然不能夠。我認為,這只船雖然沒有被我們發(fā)現(xiàn),可也不會離開太遠。
I then put myself in the place of Small and looked at it as a man of his capacity would.
處在斯茂的地位,根據(jù)他這個人的能力來設想,
He would probably consider that to send back the launch or to keep it at a wharf would make pursuit easy if the police did happen to get on his track.
他會想到:如果確有警察跟蹤的話,那么,如果把船遣回或是把它停在碼頭旁邊,都會使追蹤更容易得多了。
How, then, could he conceal the launch and yet have her at hand when wanted?
那么怎樣才能夠把船隱蔽起來,同時要用它的時候還不致于誤事呢?
I wondered what I should do myself if I were in his shoes. I could only think of one way of doing it.
如果我站在他的立場上應當怎么辦呢?我想,只有一個辦法,
I might hand the launch over to some boat-builder or repairer, with directions to make a trifling change in her.
我會把船交給一些造船人或者修理工,指示他們做一些微小的改變,
She would then be removed to his shed or yard, and so be effectually concealed,
之后會開進一個船塢或者院子里,如此既可達到隱蔽的目的,
while at the same time I could have her at a few hours' notice."
還可在提前幾個小時通知的情況下使用。"
"That seems simple enough."
"這似乎是很簡單的。"