razor forthwith.

I foresaw that lunch would be a function demanding considerable tact.
Seeing that I had decided, rightly or wrongly (and the Lord knew which!),
not to trust these people, they had to be kept in a nice equilibrium
betwixt doubt and confidence. To persuade them too thoroughly that they
were entertaining a genuine British naval officer would be fatal if they
were treasonably inclined, and a serious mistake if they were not, for
then they might reassure the other islanders and my gang would go to
earth, not to be dug up again in a hurry. On the other hand, to have them
too suspicious would be all right if they were treasonable, but would
probably end my adventure if they were honest.

The line I selected was a blend of mystery regarding my business, breezy
chat on non-committal topics, and an occasional oddity of conduct, such
as might have been caused by a guilty conscience or a harmless strain of
eccentricity (and I left them to make their choice).

Here are a few choice excerpts from our conversation, which I happen to
remember more or less verbatim.

_Myself (chattily):_ "Delightful air you have in your island!
Like champagne--or perhaps in these parts I ought to say like
whisky and soda."

_Mr. Rendall (somewhat drily_): "We do happen to be acquainted with
champagne."

_Miss Rendall (smiling pleasantly as she ate_): "We probably don't look
as though we were, father. Mr. Merton's metaphor was safer."