stand opposite, the one who looks as if he were asleep, is 4782. In
that way he keeps the head of the line, you see, and when Edestone
comes out, if he doesn't take that cab, 4782 can follow him until he
alights again, and then he is to telephone His Royal Highness. So you
sit here and have lunch, where you can see what is going on."

Then, turning to a group of his regular customers at another table,
the jovial host in a loud voice and in perfect English took a violent
pro-Ally part in the war discussion that was going on.




CHAPTER VI

A RUSTY OLD CANNON-BALL


Edestone had met the Honorable Herbert Underhill before, both in
America and in the country houses of England. The two were about the
same age, and as Underhill's mother was an American, Edestone had
hoped that he would not have quite so much trouble in getting him to
look at the matter from an American point of view.

Underhill, however, was just on that account a little bit more formal
with the cousins from across the sea than were most of the men of high
position in Europe. He was undoubtedly taken aback and thrown off his
guard when he found that Edestone was the dangerous American lunatic
of whom he had been warned. In the first place, he knew that there was
not the slightest chance of his being an impostor, and he also knew