pump a cruiser, and so on. Sparking plugs are naval signals."

"From Portsmouth at midday," said the secretary, examining the
superscription. "By the way, what do you give him?"

"Five hundred pounds for this particular job. Of course he has a
salary as well."

"The greedy rouge. They are useful, these traitors, but I grudge
them their blood money."

"I grudge Altamont nothing. He is a wonderful worker. If I pay
him well, at least he delivers the goods, to use his own phrase.
Besides he is not a traitor. I assure you that our most pan-
Germanic Junker is a sucking dove in his feelings towards England
as compared with a real bitter Irish-American."

"Oh, an Irish-American?"

"If you heard him talk you would not doubt it. Sometimes I
assure you I can hardly understand him. He seems to have
declared war on the King's English as well as on the English
king. Must you really go? He may be here any moment."

"No. I'm sorry, but I have already overstayed my time. We shall
expect you early to-morrow, and when you get that signal book
through the little door on the Duke of York's steps you can put a
triumphant finis to your record in England. What! Tokay!" He
indicated a heavily sealed dust-covered bottle which stood with
two high glasses upon a salver.