04-01-04-三十九级台阶 [23]
，'someone suggested.
'Not them. They have their own secret way，and why should they hurry？They don't know that we're after them. Where can I get a book of Tide Tables？'
Whittaker looked happier. 'It's a chance，'he said. 'Let's go to the Navy Offices. '
Sir Walter went off to Scotland Yard to get MacGilllvray. The rest of us drove to the Navy Offices where we went to a big room full of books and maps. We got a copy of the Tide Tables， and I sat down and looked through it while the others watched.
It was no good. There were more than fifty places where high tide was at 10. 27. We needed more information than that.
I thought hard. What did Scudder mean by steps，and why was it so important to count them？ It must be somewhere with several paths going down to the sea. This path would be the only one with thirty－nine steps.
I had another thought and checked the time of regular ships leaving England. There was no ship at 10. 17.
Why was high tide important？In a big harbour the tide doesn't matter. It is only important in a small harbour，or somewhere where there is no harbour at all.
Then I thought about where a man would leave England if he were going to Germany. Not from the south coast， or the west coast， or Scotland. It would be somewhere on the east coast， probably between Cromer and Dover.
I am not Sherlock Holmes. But I am used to using my head，and when I guess， my guesses are often right.
I wrote out my ideas on a piece of paper：
ALMOST CERTAIN
（1） A place where there are several paths down to the sea.
One of these has thirty－nine steps.
（2） High tide at 10. 17p. m. A place where it is only possible for a ship to leave the coast at high tide.
（3） Probably not a harbour， but open coast with cliffs and a beach.
（4）Ship probably a small one，a yacht or a fishing boat.
（5） Somewhere on the east coast between Cromer and Dover.
It seemed strange to be sitting at a table， watched by a groupof very important people， trying to understand something written by a dead man. But it was a matter of life or death to us.
Sir Walter and MacGillivray arrived. They had men watching all the harbours and railway stations with descriptions of the three men. But none of us thought that this would help 'Here's the best I can do，'I said. 'We have to find a place where there is a path with thirty－nine steps down to a beach. It must be somewhere on the east coast. Of course，it's somewhere where high tide is at 10. 17 tomorrow night. Who can we ask who knows the east coast really well？'
Whittaker said he knew a man who lived in south London. He went off in a car to get him and came back at about one o'clock in the morning with an old sailor who had worked all his life on the east coast.
'We want you to tell us about places you know on the east coast where there are cliffs and steps going down to the beach，'said Winstanley.
He thought for a minute or two. 'There are a lot of seaside towns-holiday places-where there are steps from the town down to the beach. '
'No， that's not private enough，'I said.
'Well， I don't know. Of course， there's the Ruff—'
'What's that？'
'It's in Kent，near Bradgate. There are cliffs with houses along the top-big houses. Some of the houses have steps down to a beach Mostly rich people live there， the sort of people who like to be private.
I opened the Tide Tables at Bradgate. High tide was at 10. 27 on the 15th of June.
'This looks hopeful，'I cried. 'How can I find out when high tide is at the Ruff？'
'I can tell you that， sir，'said the sailor. 'I used to go fishing there. High tide is ten minutes before Bradgate. '
I closed the book and looked up at the others.
'If one of those paths has thirty－nine steps， then I think we have a good chance，'I said. 'Can I take a car， Sir Walter， and a map？ If Mr MacGillivray can help me，perhaps we can prepare something for tomorrow. '
It seemed strange for me to take control like this. But I was used to action， and they could see it. It was the Frenchman，Royer，who said what they were all thinking. 'I am quite happy
'Not them. They have their own secret way，and why should they hurry？They don't know that we're after them. Where can I get a book of Tide Tables？'
Whittaker looked happier. 'It's a chance，'he said. 'Let's go to the Navy Offices. '
Sir Walter went off to Scotland Yard to get MacGilllvray. The rest of us drove to the Navy Offices where we went to a big room full of books and maps. We got a copy of the Tide Tables， and I sat down and looked through it while the others watched.
It was no good. There were more than fifty places where high tide was at 10. 27. We needed more information than that.
I thought hard. What did Scudder mean by steps，and why was it so important to count them？ It must be somewhere with several paths going down to the sea. This path would be the only one with thirty－nine steps.
I had another thought and checked the time of regular ships leaving England. There was no ship at 10. 17.
Why was high tide important？In a big harbour the tide doesn't matter. It is only important in a small harbour，or somewhere where there is no harbour at all.
Then I thought about where a man would leave England if he were going to Germany. Not from the south coast， or the west coast， or Scotland. It would be somewhere on the east coast， probably between Cromer and Dover.
I am not Sherlock Holmes. But I am used to using my head，and when I guess， my guesses are often right.
I wrote out my ideas on a piece of paper：
ALMOST CERTAIN
（1） A place where there are several paths down to the sea.
One of these has thirty－nine steps.
（2） High tide at 10. 17p. m. A place where it is only possible for a ship to leave the coast at high tide.
（3） Probably not a harbour， but open coast with cliffs and a beach.
（4）Ship probably a small one，a yacht or a fishing boat.
（5） Somewhere on the east coast between Cromer and Dover.
It seemed strange to be sitting at a table， watched by a groupof very important people， trying to understand something written by a dead man. But it was a matter of life or death to us.
Sir Walter and MacGillivray arrived. They had men watching all the harbours and railway stations with descriptions of the three men. But none of us thought that this would help 'Here's the best I can do，'I said. 'We have to find a place where there is a path with thirty－nine steps down to a beach. It must be somewhere on the east coast. Of course，it's somewhere where high tide is at 10. 17 tomorrow night. Who can we ask who knows the east coast really well？'
Whittaker said he knew a man who lived in south London. He went off in a car to get him and came back at about one o'clock in the morning with an old sailor who had worked all his life on the east coast.
'We want you to tell us about places you know on the east coast where there are cliffs and steps going down to the beach，'said Winstanley.
He thought for a minute or two. 'There are a lot of seaside towns-holiday places-where there are steps from the town down to the beach. '
'No， that's not private enough，'I said.
'Well， I don't know. Of course， there's the Ruff—'
'What's that？'
'It's in Kent，near Bradgate. There are cliffs with houses along the top-big houses. Some of the houses have steps down to a beach Mostly rich people live there， the sort of people who like to be private.
I opened the Tide Tables at Bradgate. High tide was at 10. 27 on the 15th of June.
'This looks hopeful，'I cried. 'How can I find out when high tide is at the Ruff？'
'I can tell you that， sir，'said the sailor. 'I used to go fishing there. High tide is ten minutes before Bradgate. '
I closed the book and looked up at the others.
'If one of those paths has thirty－nine steps， then I think we have a good chance，'I said. 'Can I take a car， Sir Walter， and a map？ If Mr MacGillivray can help me，perhaps we can prepare something for tomorrow. '
It seemed strange for me to take control like this. But I was used to action， and they could see it. It was the Frenchman，Royer，who said what they were all thinking. 'I am quite happy