all this. We want you to place yourself at our disposal. We
want you to become our Chief Head Flight Engineer. We want you
to manufacture, we want to equip a swarm of hornets under your
direction. We want you to direct this force. And it is at our
depot in America we want you. So we offer you simply, and
without haggling, ze full terms you demanded weeks ago--one
hundert tousand poundts in cash, a salary of three tousand
poundts a year, a pension of one tousand poundts a year, and ze
title of Paron as you desired. These are my instructions."

He resumed his scrutiny of Bert's face.

"That's all right, of course," said Bert, a little short of
breath, but otherwise resolute and calm; and it seemed to him
that now was the time to bring his nocturnal scheming to the
issue.

The secretary contemplated Bert's collar with sustained
attention. Only for one moment did his gaze move to the sandals
and back.

"Jes' lemme think a bit," said Bert, finding the stare
debilitating. "Look 'ere!" he said at last, with an air of
great explicitness, "I GOT the secret."

"Yes."

"But I don't want the name of Butteridge to appear--see? I been
thinking that over."