icer of the Royal Navy who was in the car with me confessed
to less faith in his symbol of authority than in the generations' bred
burr of our chauffeur to carry conviction of our genuineness; so
arguments were left to him and successfully, including two or three
with Scotch cattle, which seemed to be co-operating with the sentries
to block the road.

After an hour's run inland, as the car rose over a ridge and
descended on a sharp grade, in the distance under the moonlight we
saw the floor of the sea again, melting into opaqueness, with curving
fringes of foam along the irregular shore cut by the indentations of the
firths. Now the sentries were more frequent and more particular. Our
single light gave dim form to the figures of sailors, soldiers, and boy
scouts on patrol.

"They have done remarkably well, these boys!" said the officer. "Our
fears that, boy like, they would see all kinds of things which didn't
exist were quite needless. The work has taught them a sense of
responsibility which will remain with them after the war, when their
experience will be a precious memory. They realize that it isn't play,
but a serious business, and act accordingly."

With all the houses and the countryside dark, the rays of our lamp
seemed an invading comet to the men who held up lanterns with red
twinkles of warning.

"The patrol boats have complained about your lights, sir!" said one
obdurate sentry.

We looked out into the black wall in the direction of the sea and could
see no sign of a patrol boat. How had it been able to inform this lone
sentry of that flying ray which disclosed the line of a coastal road to
anyone at sea? He would not accept the best argumentative burr that
our chauffeur could produce as sufficient explanation or guarantee.
Most Scottish of Scots in physiognomy and shrewd matter-of-
factness, as revealed in the glare of the lantern, he might have been
on watch in the Highland fastnesses in Prince Charlie's time.

"Captain R------, of the Royal Navy!" explained the officer, introducing
himself.

"I'll take your name and address!" said the sentry.

"The Admiralty. I take the responsibility."

"As I'll report, sir!" said the sentry, not so convinced but he burred
something further into the chauffeur's ear.

This seems to have little to do with the navy, but it has much, indeed,
as a part of unfathomable, complicated business of guards within
guards, intelligence battling with intelligence, deceivin