“Yes!” he answered.  “I have had a very curious cable from Dicky which I can’t understand.  I am sorry to bother you, but I think you had better come up to town by the first train in the morning.  It’s something to do with these Deloras.”

“The devil it is!” I exclaimed.  “I’ll come, Ralph.  I shall motor to Norwich, and catch the eight o’clock.  Could you give me an idea of what it is?”

“I think I’d rather not over the telephone,” Ralph declared, after a moment’s hesitation.

“Don’t be an idiot!” I answered.  “I am really very much interested.”

“It’s a queer business,” Ralph said, “but it will keep until to-morrow.  I shall send the car for you to Liverpool Street, and you had better come straight to me.”

“Dicky is all right, I hope?” I asked.

“Dicky’s all right,” Ralph answered.  “What sort of sport are you having there?”

“Very fair,” I answered.  “Heggs sends you the figures every day, I suppose?”

“Yes!” Ralph answered.  “You seem to have done very well at the birds.  Till to-morrow, Austen!”

“Till to-morrow,” I replied.  “Good night, old chap!”

“Goodnight!”

I put down the receiver and went back to my dinner more than ever puzzled.  Ralph’s summons, I felt, absolved me from any promise I might have made to Delora, and I was looking eagerly forward to the morrow, when I should be once more in London.  What puzzled me, however, more even than Dicky’s message, was the extreme interest Ralph’s tone seemed to denote.  His voice sounded quite like his old self.

“Jacky,” I said, as we finished dinner, “will you lend me your car to take me into Norwich to-morrow?  I have to catch the eight o’clock train to town.”

“I’ll lend it you with pleasure,” Jacky said, looking at me in amazement, “but what on earth’s up?”

“Nothing,” I answered.  “Simply Ralph wants to see me.  He isn’t particularly communicative himself, but he is very anxious that I should go to town to-morrow.  Somehow or other I have more confidence in your Napier than in either of our cars when it comes to catching a train at that time in the morning.”

“I’ll run you up to town, if you like,” Jacky declared, in a burst of good-nature.

“It isn’t necessary,” I answered.  “I shall get up quicker by train, and Ralph’s going to meet me at Liverpool Street.  Thanks, all the same!”

Jacky lit a cigar.

“I’ll go out and tell Ferris myself,” he said.

Once more Jacky’s car did not fail me.  Punctually at a quarter to eight we drove into Norwich Station yard.  I breakfasted on the train, and reached Liverpool Street a few minutes after eleven.  I found Ralph’s big Panhard there, but Ralph himself had not come.

“His Lordship is expecting you at the hotel, sir,” the chauffeur told me.  “He would have come down himself, but he was expecting a caller.”

In less than half an hour I was in my brother’s sitting-room.  Ralph greeted me cordially.