courage and rang up the number. I
listened with some nervousness while he gave my message--he had to
repeat it twice--and waited eagerly on the next words.

'No, sir,' I heard him say, ''e don't want you to come round 'ere. 'E
thinks as 'ow--I mean to say, 'e wants--'

I took a long stride and twitched the receiver from him.

'Macgillivray,' I said, 'is that you? Richard Hannay! For the love of
God come round here this instant and deliver me from the clutches of a
tomfool A.P.M. I've got the most deadly news. There's not a second to
waste. For God's sake come quick!' Then I added: 'Just tell your
fellows to gather Ivery in at once. You know his lairs.'

I hung up the receiver and faced a pale and indignant orderly. 'It's
all right,' I said. 'I promise you that you won't get into any trouble
on my account. And there's your two quid.'

The door in the next room opened and shut. The A.P.M. had returned from
lunch ...

Ten minutes later the door opened again. I heard Macgillivray's voice,
and it was not pitched in dulcet tones. He had run up against minor
officialdom and was making hay with it.

I was my own master once more, so I forsook the company of the orderly.
I found a most rattled officer trying to save a few rags of his dignity
and the formidable figure of Macgillivray instructing him in manners.

'Glad to see you, Dick,' he said. 'This is General Hannay, sir. It may
comfort you to know that your folly may have made just the difference
between your country's victory and defeat. I shall have a word to say
to your superiors.'

It was hardly fair. I had to put in a word for the old fellow, whose
red tabs seemed suddenly to have grown dingy.

'It was my blame wearing this kit. We'll call it a misunderstanding and
forget it. But I would suggest that civility is not wasted even on a
poor devil of a defaulting private soldier.'

Once in Macgillivray's car, I poured out my tale. 'Tell me it's a
nightmare,' I cried. 'Tell me that the three men we collected on the
Ruff were shot long ago.'

'Two,' he replied, 'but one escaped. Heaven knows how he managed it,
but he disappeared clean out of the world.'

'The plump one who lisped in his speech?'

Macgillivray nodded.

'Well, we're in for it this time. Have you issued instructions?'

'Yes. With luck we shall have our hands on him within an hour. We've
our net round all his haunts.'

'But two hours' start! It's a big handicap, for you're dealing with a
geni