“What nonsense, Charley!  You had seven days left, and you’re not bound to be within call at a moment’s notice.  I’m very glad the ship has left Portsmouth, for now you can’t rejoin, and you’ll have time to rest.”

“I’m not so sure, Kate,” he cried, suddenly sitting up, and scanning the paper she had brought.  “Where’s the fleet?  Ah!  Irish coast.  I’ll rejoin, as sure as I’m alive.  You see, I’m due at nine.  I’m not physically incapable, and in the aeroplane I can easily do it if I can find the squadron.  The Implacable was with the Blue fleet, operating from Bear Haven, I see.  It’s worth trying, anyhow.”

“Magnificent, but absurd,” said Barracombe.  “You won’t find them, either.”

“A fiver that I will.”

“No, thanks.  By the way, you owe me a fiver.”

“How’s that?”

“Look at this.”

He handed Smith Farmer Barton’s receipted bill, and related what had happened in the evening.

Smith laughed.

“I’d forgotten him; but his bill is no doubt among this batch.  To come back to the point.  I am serious.  I mean to rejoin my ship at nine.  To give myself plenty of time I’ll start at six.  It’s now past twelve; I’ll set my alarm clock for six.  I’m sorry for Roddy, I’m afraid, he must clean the engine.  D’you mind finding him?—­Ah! here he is, and Simmons with soup.  Thank you, Simmons.  Sorry to keep you up so late.”

“I’m glad to see you back safe and sound, sir,” said the man respectfully.

Smith shot a glance at Rodier, but the look of surprise on the Frenchman’s face showed that he, at any rate, had not been talking.  Kate’s expression proved that she was equally surprised.

“And I hope the Master and Mr. Tom are as well as could be expected, sir,” added Simmons.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, sir, I knew the Master had met with a accident—­”

“But I cut the paragraph out of the paper,” cried Kate.

“Yes, miss, that’s what made me go and buy one.  I assure you I haven’t said a word to a soul, miss, guessing as you wanted it kep’ from the Mistress, and you can’t trust female maids.”

“But how did you know I had gone out to the Solomons?” asked Smith.

“’Twas a bit in the Times first put me on the scent, sir, about a sensation in Constantinople about two daring and intrepid airmen that came down there sudden-like and went away in a jiff.  No names were named, sir, but I guessed it was you and Mr. Rodier.”

“Johnson had discretion, at any rate,” murmured Smith.  “Well!”

“Next day there was a bit about two airmen coming down at some place in India, sir.  Putting two and two together—­”

“I see.  No names again?”

“No, sir, not till to-night.”

“To-night, eh?”

“Yes, sir.  There’s a bit in the Evening News to-night, not strictly true, sir.  I’ve got it here.”

He drew the paper from his pocket, and pointed to the following paragraph—­