"But the launch? They could not have taken that to their lodgings."
"可是他不能够把这只船也带到巢穴里去呀。"
"Quite so. I argued that the launch must be no great way off, in spite of its invisibility.
"当然不能够。我认为,这只船虽然没有被我们发现,可也不会离开太远。
I then put myself in the place of Small and looked at it as a man of his capacity would.
处在斯茂的地位,根据他这个人的能力来设想,
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.
他会想到:如果确有警察跟踪的话,那么,如果把船遣回或是把它停在码头旁边,都会使追踪更容易得多了。
How, then, could he conceal the launch and yet have her at hand when wanted?
那么怎样才能够把船隐蔽起来,同时要用它的时候还不致于误事呢?
I wondered what I should do myself if I were in his shoes. I could only think of one way of doing it.
如果我站在他的立场上应当怎么办呢?我想,只有一个办法,
I might hand the launch over to some boat-builder or repairer, with directions to make a trifling change in her.
我会把船交给一些造船人或者修理工,指示他们做一些微小的改变,
She would then be removed to his shed or yard, and so be effectually concealed,
之后会开进一个船坞或者院子里,如此既可达到隐蔽的目的,
while at the same time I could have her at a few hours' notice."
还可在提前几个小时通知的情况下使用。"
"That seems simple enough."
"这似乎是很简单的。"