plain of your decision. After all,
it is exactly what I expected."

He made his adieux and departed. The Admiral sniffed as he glanced after
him.

"Very good chap, Thomson," he remarked, "but he doesn't quite
understand. I bet you that fine young fellow Granet would never have
suggested our running away like frightened sheep! Come along, my dear,
we'll go and dine."

CHAPTER XXXV

About three o'clock the next morning Thomson was awakened by a light
touch upon his shoulder. He sprang up from the couch upon which he had
thrown himself. Ambrose was standing over him. He was still in his room
at the War Office, and fully dressed.

"Mr. Gordon Jones has rung up from Downing Street, sir," he announced.
"He is with the Prime Minister. They want to know if you could step
across."

"I'll go at once," Thomson agreed,--"just sponge my eyes and have a
brush up. Nothing else fresh, Ambrose?"

"Nothing at all sir," the young man replied. "All the newspapers in
London have rung up but of course we have not answered any of them.
You'll be careful outside, please? There isn't a single light anywhere,
and the streets are like pitch. A man tried to use an electric torch on
the other side of the way just now, and they shot him. There's a double
line of sentries all round from Whitehall corner."

"No flares this time, eh?" Thomson muttered. "All right, Ambrose, I
think I can feel my way there."

He descended into the street but for a few moments he found himself
hopelessly lost at sea. So far as he could see there was no light nor
any glimmer of one. He reached the corner of the street like a blind
man, by tapping the kerbstone with his cane. Arrived here, he stood for
a moment in the middle of the road, bareheaded. There was not a breath
of wind anywhere. He made his way carefully down towards Downing Street,
meeting few people, and still obliged to grope rather than walk. Along
Downing Street he made his way by the railings and rang the bell at last
at the Premier's house. He was shown at once into the council room. The
four or five men who were seated around a table, and who looked up at
his entrance, bore every one of them, household names. The Premier held
out his hand.

"Good evening, Major Thomson," he began. "Please sit down and join us
for a moment."

Thomson was a little surprised at the gathering.

"You'll forgive my suggesting that this is likely to be a marked spot
to-night," he said.

The Premier smiled.