haven't been lucky enough,
yet, to have had the chance to use it."

Since their messenger-boy mission had been washed out, at least until
Colonel Welsh's arrival at midnight, there was no reason to check Major
Parker's connection with Intelligence, but Dave somehow couldn't pass it
by.

"I see, sir," he said quietly. "Well, Farmer and I were taught
something, too, before we left. We were taught to take an interest in
copper discs. Are you interested in copper discs, sir?"

"Slightly," the other said with a chuckle. "At least I'm interested in
one copper disc. It has numbers on it."

"Numbers?" Dawson murmured, and tried to look a little surprised.

Major Parker smiled, and slipped a hand into his pocket.

"That's right," he said as he withdrew his hand. "Numbers. The numbers
on the copper disc I'm interested in add up to forty-_three_. Would you
like to see it?"

A cold chill shot through Dawson's chest, and a strange dryness came
into his throat. Forty-_three_? But if Major Parker really was Colonel
Welsh's agent down here at San Fernando, the numbers on his copper disc
should add up to forty-_one_.

"Why, yes, yes," he finally got out with an effort. "I'd like to see it
very much."

"Then have a look, by all means, Dawson," the major said, and with a
slight movement of his hand he tossed a brightly polished copper disc
down on the table top.

Dawson picked it up with fingers that were trying desperately hard to
stop trembling. He could hear Freddy Farmer's heavy breathing, as the
English youth leaned over to take a look. Dave had picked up the disc
with the smooth side showing, so he had to turn it over. On the other
side stamped into the metal were the numbers 9 1 2 7 8 6 8. He stared at
them, and suddenly the truth came to him. The numbers did not add up to
forty-_three_. They added up to forty-_one_, just as they should have.

The major's soft chuckle made Dawson jerk up his head.

"Sorry I couldn't resist the temptation, Dawson," the officer said. "You
just added them up, didn't you? And reached the Pearl Harbor figure,
eh?"

"Yes," Dawson said, and handed back the copper disc with a grin. "But
you sure had my heart fluttering for a moment there."

"Frankly, I was just about to reach for my service automatic," Freddy
Farmer added.

"Well, forgive me my rather flat little joke, and let's skip it, eh?"
Major Parker said with a little wave of his hand. "I noticed that Tiger
stuff gave you a littl