lair has your keys and he also has Miss
West's address at Bournemouth."

"Here, come on, Jasp.," cried John Dene, just as Spotty was in the act
of letting fly at the fireplace for the sixth time. He turned a
reproachful gaze upon his chief.

"But the _Destroyer_?" broke in Admiral Bridgman.

"She has been doing her bit," said John Dene grimly. "She's refitting
now. I'm off to Bournemouth, and Spotty's going north to-night with
some indents."

"Mr. Dene," began Sir Lyster in his most impressive manner, "your
patriotism has----

"Here, forget it," and with that John Dene was gone, followed by his
lieutenant, leaving Sir Lyster, Sir Bridgman and Admiral Heyworth
gazing at the door that closed behind him.

As Spotty passed Mr. Blair he turned and, thrusting his face forward,
growled, "Ruddy tyke." It was his way of indicating loyalty to his
chief; but it spoiled Mr. Blair's lunch.

For some moments after John Dene had gone, Sir Lyster and Sir Bridgman
and Admiral Heyworth gazed at each other without speaking.

"Do you think it's drink, Grayne, or only the heat?" Sir Bridgman
laughed.

Sir Lyster winced and looked across at him as a man might at a boy who
has just blown a trumpet in his ear. Without replying he lifted the
telephone receiver from its rest.

"Get me through to the Prime Minister. What's that? Yes, Sir
Bridgman's here. Very well, we'll come round at once."

As he replaced the receiver he rose.

"The Prime Minister would like us to step round," he said. "Walton and
Sage are there. It's about John Dene."

"Seen John Dene?" asked Sir Bridgman of Mr. Blair, as they passed
through the room. "You'd better apply for that twenty thousand pounds,
Blair."

Sir Lyster wondered why Sir Bridgman persisted in his jokes, however
much they might have become frayed at the edges.

When they entered Mr. Llewellyn John's room it was to find him a
veritable aurora borealis of smiles. He was obviously in the best of
spirits.

"John Dene has been found," he cried before his callers had taken the
chairs to which he waved them.

"We left poor Blair with the same conviction," laughed Sir Bridgman.

"Then you know?"

"I telephoned Sir Lyster," said Colonel Walton.

"Mr. Dene has only just left us," explained Sir Lyster. "He was
extremely annoyed at the closing of his office and the disappearance of
his secretary."

"But----" Mr. Llewellyn John looked from Colonel Walton to Malcolm
Sage, and the