hands. Yes, but I had seen him in undress, so to speak, and he knew
that I had so seen him. The only thing now was to collar him before he
left the country, for there was ample evidence to hang him on. The law
must stretch out its long arm and collect him and Gresson and the
Portuguese Jew, try them by court martial, and put them decently
underground.

But he had now had more than an hour's warning, and I was entangled
with red-tape in this damned A.P.M.'s office. The thought drove me
frantic, and I got up and paced the floor. I saw the orderly with
rather a scared face making ready to press the bell, and I noticed that
the fat sergeant had gone to lunch.

'Say, mate,' I said, 'don't you feel inclined to do a poor fellow a
good turn? I know I'm for it all right, and I'll take my medicine like
a lamb. But I want badly to put a telephone call through.'

'It ain't allowed,' was the answer. 'I'd get 'ell from the old man.'

'But he's gone out,' I urged. 'I don't want you to do anything wrong,
mate, I leave you to do the talkin' if you'll only send my message. I'm
flush of money, and I don't mind handin' you a quid for the job.'

He was a pinched little man with a weak chin, and he obviously wavered.

''Oo d'ye want to talk to?' he asked.

'Scotland Yard,' I said, 'the home of the police. Lord bless you, there
can't be no harm in that. Ye've only got to ring up Scotland Yard--I'll
give you the number--and give the message to Mr Macgillivray. He's the
head bummer of all the bobbies.'

'That sounds a bit of all right,' he said. 'The old man 'e won't be
back for 'alf an hour, nor the sergeant neither. Let's see your quid
though.'

I laid a pound note on the form beside me. 'It's yours, mate, if you
get through to Scotland Yard and speak the piece I'm goin' to give you.'

He went over to the instrument. 'What d'you want to say to the bloke
with the long name?'

'Say that Richard Hannay is detained at the A.P.M.'s office in Claxton
Street. Say he's got important news--say urgent and secret news--and
ask Mr Macgillivray to do something about it at once.'

'But 'Annay ain't the name you gave.'

'Lord bless you, no. Did you never hear of a man borrowin' another
name? Anyhow that's the one I want you to give.'

'But if this Mac man comes round 'ere, they'll know 'e's bin rung up,
and I'll 'ave the old man down on me.'

It took ten minutes and a second pound note to get him past this
hurdle. By and by he screwed up