"There are a couple of gun-stations I know of not far from here," he
said. "I tell you they've got armament there which will make our friends
tear their hair' shells that burst in the air, mind, too, which you
needn't mind letting 'em have as quick as we can fire 'em off. I shall
try and get on to one of those stations myself at midnight."

"What time do you think they'd attack if they do get over?"

The other took out his watch and considered the subject.

"Of course," he reflected, "they'll want to make the most of the
darkness, but I think what they'll aim at chiefly is to get here
unobserved. Therefore, I think they won't start until it's dark,
probably from three or four different bases. That means they'll be here
a little before dawn. I shall just motor my people up to Harrow and get
back again by midnight."

Thomson left the Admiralty, a little later, and took a taxi to Berkeley
Square. The servant hesitated a little at his inquiry.

"Miss Geraldine is in, sir, I believe," he said. "She is in the
morning-room at the moment."

"I shall not keep her," Thomson promised. "I know that it is nearly
dinner-time."

The man ushered him across the hall and threw open the door of the
little room at the back of the stairs.

"Major Thomson, madam," he announced.

Geraldine rose slowly from the couch on which she had been seated.
Standing only a few feet away from her was Granet. The three looked at
one another for a moment and no word was spoken. It was Geraldine who
first recovered herself.

"Hugh!" she exclaimed warmly. "Why, you are another unexpected visitor!"

"I should not have come at such a time," Thomson explained, "but I
wanted just to have a word with you, Geraldine. If you are engaged, your
mother would do."

"I am not in the least engaged," Geraldine assured him, "and I have
been expecting to hear from you all day. I got back from Boulogne last
night."

"None the worse, I am glad to see," Thomson remarked.

She shivered a little. Then she looked him full in the face and her eyes
were full of unspoken things.

"Thanks to you," she murmured. "However," she added, with a little
laugh, "I don't want to frighten you away, and I know what would happen
if I began to talk about our adventure. I am sorry, Captain Granet," she
went on, turning towards where he was standing, "but I cannot possibly
accept your aunt's invitation. It was very good of her to ask me and
very kind of you to want me to go so muc