'That's just the point I was coming to. Sir Walter says this thing
is about as important for our cause as big guns. He can't give me
orders, but he offers the job of going out to find what the mischief
is. Once he knows that, he says he can checkmate it. But it's got to
be found out soon, for the mine may be sprung at any moment.
I've taken on the job. Will you help?'

Sandy was studying the ceiling.

'I should add that it's about as safe as playing chuck-farthing at
the Loos Cross-roads, the day you and I went in. And if we fail
nobody can help us.'

'Oh, of course, of course,' said Sandy in an abstracted voice.

Mr Blenkiron, having finished his after-dinner recumbency, had
sat up and pulled a small table towards him. From his pocket he
had taken a pack of Patience cards and had begun to play the game
called the Double Napoleon. He seemed to be oblivious of the
conversation.

Suddenly I had a feeling that the whole affair was stark lunacy.
Here were we three simpletons sitting in a London flat and projecting
a mission into the enemy's citadel without an idea what we
were to do or how we were to do it. And one of the three was
looking at the ceiling, and whistling softly through his teeth, and
another was playing Patience. The farce of the thing struck me so
keenly that I laughed.

Sandy looked at me sharply.