The Germans know, and that is the card with which they are going
to astonish the world.'

'And the mission you spoke of for me is to go and find out?'

He nodded gravely. 'That is the crazy and impossible mission.'

'Tell me one thing, Sir Walter,' I said. 'I know it is the fashion in
this country if a man has a special knowledge to set him to some
job exactly the opposite. I know all about Damaraland, but instead
of being put on Botha's staff, as I applied to be, I was kept in
Hampshire mud till the campaign in German South West Africa
was over. I know a man who could pass as an Arab, but do you
think they would send him to the East? They left him in my
battalion - a lucky thing for me, for he saved my life at Loos. I
know the fashion, but isn't this just carrying it a bit too far? There
must be thousands of men who have spent years in the East and
talk any language. They're the fellows for this job. I never saw a
Turk in my life except a chap who did wrestling turns in a show at
Kimberley. You've picked about the most useless man on earth.'

'You've been a mining engineer, Hannay,' Sir Walter said. 'If
you wanted a man to prospect for gold in Barotseland you would
of course like to get one who knew the country and the people and
the language. But the first thing you would require in him would
be that he had a nose for finding gold and knew his business. That
is the position now. I believe that you have a nose for finding out
what our enemies try to hide. I know that you are brave and cool
and resourceful. That is why I tell you the story. Besides ...'