Norgate assumed a more interested attitude.

“I am ready,” he said.  “Go on, please.”

“A movement is on foot,” Selingman proceeded, “to establish manufactories in this country for the purpose of producing my crockery.  A very large company will be formed, a great part of the money towards which is already subscribed.  We have examined several sites with a view to building factories, but I have not cared at present to open up direct negotiations.  A rumour of our enterprise is about, and the price of the land we require would advance considerably if the prospective purchaser were known.  The land is situated, half an acre at Willesden, three-quarters of an acre at Golder’s Hill, and an acre at Highgate.  I wish you to see the agents for the sale of these properties.  I have ascertained indirectly the price, which you will find against each lot, with the agent’s name,” Selingman continued, passing across a folded slip of foolscap.  “You will treat in your own name and pay the deposit yourself.  Try and secure all three plots to-day, so that the lawyers can prepare the deeds and my builder can make some preparatory plans there during the week.”

Norgate accepted the little bundle of papers with some surprise.  Enclosed with them was a thick wad of bank-notes.

“There are two thousand pounds there for your deposits,” Selingman continued.  “If you need more, telephone to me, but understand I want to start to work laying the foundations within the next few days.”

“I’ll do the best I can,” Norgate promised, “but this is rather a change for me, isn’t it?  Will Boko come along?”

Selingman smiled for a moment, but immediately afterwards his face was almost stern.

“Young man,” he said, “from the moment you pledged your brains to my service, every action of your day has been recorded.  From one of my pigeonholes I could draw out a paper and tell you where you lunched yesterday, where you dined the day before, whom you met and with whom you talked, and so it will be until our work is finished.”

“So long as I know,” Norgate sighed, rising to his feet, “I’ll try to get used to him.”

Norgate found no particular difficulty in carrying out the commissions entrusted to him.  The sale of land is not an everyday affair, and he found the agents exceedingly polite and prompt.  The man with whom he arranged the purchase of about three quarters of an acre of building land at Golder’s Green, on the conclusion of the transaction exhibited some little curiosity.

“Queer thing,” he remarked, “but I sold half an acre, a month or two ago, to a man who came very much as you come to-day.  Might have been a foreigner.  Said he was going to put up a factory to make boots and shoes.  He is not going to start to build until next year, but he wanted a very solid floor to stand heavy machinery.  Look here.”

The agent climbed upon a pile of bricks, and Norgate followed his example.  There was a boarded space before them, with scaffolding poles all around, but no other signs of building, and the interior consisted merely of a perfectly smooth concrete floor.