"may I suggest that, as we
are all keenly interested parties, Mr. Dene might give us his reasons."

"Sure," said John Dene without waiting for Sir Lyster's reply. "In
Can'da a man gets a job because he's the man for that job, leastwise if
he's not he's fired. Here I'll auction that half the big jobs are held
by mutts whose granddad's had a pleasant way of saying how d'ye do to a
prince. If any of them came around you'd have me skippin' like a
scalded cat, and when I'm like that I'm liable to say things. I'm my
own man and my own boss, and I take a man's size in most things. I'm
too old to feel meek at the sight of gold bands. I want to feel kind
to everybody, and I find I can do that in this country better when
everybody keeps out of my way."

John Dene paused, and the others looked at each other, a little
nonplussed how to respond to such directness.

"It's been in my head-fillin' quite a while to tell you this;" and John
Dene suddenly smiled, one of those rare smiles that seemed to take the
sting out of his words. "I'd be real sorry to hurt anybody's
feelings," he added, "but we've got different notions of things in
Can'da."

It was Sir Bridgman who eased the situation.

"If ever you want a second in command, I'm your man," he laughed.
"Straight talk makes men friends, and if we do wrap things up a bit
more here, we aren't so thin-skinned as not to be able to take it from
the shoulder. What say you, Grayne?"

"Yes--certainly," said Sir Lyster with unconvincing hesitation.

"You were mentioning spies," said Admiral Heyworth.

"So would you if they'd plagued you as they've plagued me," said John
Dene. "They've already stolen three sets of plans."

"Three sets of plans!" cried Sir Lyster, starting up in alarm.

John Dene nodded as he proceeded to relight the stump of his cigar.
"One set in T'ronto, one on the steamer and the other from my room at
the Ritzton."

"Good Heavens!" exclaimed Sir Lyster in alarm, "what is to be done?"

"Oh! I've got another three sets," said John Dene calmly.

Sir Lyster looked at him as if doubtful of his sanity.

"Don't you worry," said John Dene imperturbably, "one set of plans was
of the U1, the first boat the Germans built, the second set was of the
U2, and the third of the U9."

Sir Bridgman's laugh rang out as he thumped the table with his fist.

"Splendid!" he cried. Sir Lyster sank back into his chair with a sigh
of relief.

"By the way, Dene," said Si