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〃Give you the idea； yes！〃 mocked Bellew； trying to gain time。
〃That's just what I say。 You boys to…day are so dull。 You
lack initiative。 It's the idea that counts。 Anybody can do
the acting。 That's just amateur theatricals！〃
〃Is it！〃 snorted Herbert。 〃If you want to know what stage
fright is； just go on board a British battle…ship with your
face covered with burnt cork and insist on being treated like
an ambassador。 You'll find it's a little different from a
first night with the Simla Thespians！〃
Ford had no part in the debate。 He had been smoking
comfortably and with well…timed nods； impartially encouraging
each disputant。 But now he suddenly laid his cigar upon his
plate； and； after glancing quickly about him； leaned eagerly
forward。 They were at the corner table of the terrace； and；
as it was now past nine o'clock； the other diners had
departed to the theatres and they were quite alone。 Below
them； outside the open windows； were the trees of the
embankment； and beyond； the Thames； blocked to the west by
the great shadows of the Houses of Parliament； lit only by
the flame in the tower that showed the Lower House was still
sitting。
〃I'LL give you an idea for a rag；〃 whispered Ford。 〃One that
is risky； that will make the country sit up； that ought to
land you in Jail？ Have you read 'The Riddle of the Sands'？〃
Bellew and Herbert nodded； Birrell made no sign。
〃 Don't mind him；〃 exclaimed Herbert impatiently。 〃HE never
reads anything！ Go on！〃
〃It's the book most talked about；〃 explained Ford。 〃And what
else is most talked about？〃 He answered his own question。
〃The landing of the Germans in Morocco and the chance of war。
Now； I ask you； with that book in everybody's mind； and the
war scare in everybody's mind； what would happen if German
soldiers appeared to…night on the Norfolk coast just where
the book says they will appear？ Not one soldier； but dozens
of soldiers； not in one place； but in twenty places？〃
〃What would happen？〃 roared Major Bellew loyally。 〃The Boy
Scouts would fall out of bed and kick them into the sea！〃
〃Shut up！〃 snapped his nephew irreverently。 He shook Ford by
the arm。 〃How？〃 he demanded breathlessly。 〃How are we to do
it？ It would take hundreds of men。〃
〃Two men；〃 corrected Ford； 〃And a third man to drive the car。
I thought it out one day at Clarkson's when I came across a
lot of German uniforms。 I thought of it as a newspaper story；
as a trick to find out how prepared you people are to meet
invasion。 And when you said just now that you wanted a chance
to go to jail 〃
〃What's your plan？〃 interrupted Birrell。
〃We would start just before dawn〃 began Ford。
〃We？〃 demanded Herbert。 〃Are you in this？〃
〃Am I in it？〃 cried Ford indignantly。 〃It's my own private
invasion！ I'm letting you boys in on the ground floor。 If I
don't go； there won t be any invasion！〃
The two pink…cheeked youths glanced at each other inquiringly
and then nodded。
〃We accept your services； sir；〃 said Birrell gravely。 〃What's
your plan？〃
In astonishment Major Bellew glanced from one to the other
and then slapped the table with his open palm。 His voice
shook with righteous indignation。
〃Of all the preposterous； outrageousAre you mad？〃 he
demanded。 〃Do you suppose for one minute I will allow〃
His nephew shrugged his shoulders and； rising； pushed back
his chair。
〃Oh； you go to the devil！〃 he exclaimed cheerfully。 〃Come on；
Ford；〃 he said。 〃We'll find some place where uncle can't hear
us。〃
Two days later a touring car carrying three young men； in the
twenty…one miles between Wells and Cromer； broke down eleven
times。 Each time this misfortune befell them one young man
scattered tools in the road and on his knees hammered
ostentatiously at the tin hood； and the other two occupants
of the car sauntered to the beach。 There they chucked pebbles
at the waves and then slowly retraced their steps。 Each time
the route by which they returned was different from the one
by which they had set forth。 Sometimes they followed the
beaten path down the cliff or； as it chanced to be； across
the marshes； sometimes they slid down the face of the cliff；
sometimes they lost themselves behind the hedges and in the
lanes of the villages。 But when they again reached the car
the procedure of each was alikeeach produced a pencil and
on the face of his 〃Half Inch〃 road map traced strange；
fantastic signs。
At lunch…time they stopped at the East Cliff Hotel at Cromer
and made numerous and trivial inquiries about the Cromer golf
links。 They had come； they volunteered； from Ely for a day
of sea…bathing and golf； they were returning after dinner。
The head…waiter of the East Cliff Hotel gave them the
information they desired。 He was an intelligent head…waiter；
young； and of pleasant； not to say distinguished； bearing。 In
a frock coat he might easily have been mistaken for something
even more important than a head…waiterfor a German riding…
master； a leader of a Hungarian band； a manager of a Ritz
hotel。 But he was not above his station。 He even assisted the
porter in carrying the coats and golf bags of the gentlemen
from the car to the coffee…room where； with the intuition of
the homing pigeon； the three strangers had； unaided； found
their way。 As Carl Schultz followed； carrying the dust…coats；
a road map fell from the pocket of one of them to the floor。
Carl Schultz picked it up； and was about to replace it； when
his eyes were held by notes scrawled roughly in pencil。 With
an expression that no longer was that of a head…waiter； Carl
cast one swift glance about him and then slipped into the
empty coat…room and locked the door。 Five minutes later； with
a smile that played uneasily over a face grown gray with
anxiety； Carl presented the map to the tallest of the three
strangers。 It was open so that the pencil marks were most
obvious。 By his accent it was evident the tallest of the
three strangers was an American。
〃What the devil！〃 he protested； 〃which of you boys has been
playing hob with my map？〃
For just an instant the two pink…cheeked ones regarded him
with disfavor； until； for just an instant； his eyebrows rose
and； with a glance； he signified the waiter。
〃Oh； that！〃 exclaimed the younger one。 〃The Automobile Club
asked us to mark down petrol stations。 Those marks mean
that's where you can buy petrol。〃
The head…waiter breathed deeply。 With an assured and happy
countenance； he departed and； for the two…hundredth time that
day； looked from the windows of the dining…room out over the
tumbling breakers to the gray stretch of sea。 As though
fearful that his face would expose his secret； he glanced
carefully about him and then； assured he was alone； leaned
eagerly forward； scanning the empty； tossing waters。
In his mind's eye he beheld rolling tug…boats straining
against long lines of scows； against the dead weight of
field…guns； against the pull of thousands of motionless；
silent figures； each in khaki； each in a black leather
helmet； each with one hundred and fifty rounds。
In his own language Carl Schultz reproved himself。
〃Patience；〃 he muttered； 〃patience！ By ten to…night all will
be dark。 There will be no stars。 There will be no moon。 The
very heavens fight for us； and by sunrise our outposts will
be twenty miles inland！〃
At lunch…time Carl Schultz carefully； obsequiously waited
upon the three strangers。 He gave them their choice of soup；
thick or clear； of gooseberry pie or Half…Pay pudding。 He
accepted their shillings gratefully； and when they departed
for the links he bowed them on their way。 And as their car
turned up Jetty Street； for one instant； he again allowed his
eyes to sweep the dull gray ocean。 Brown…sailed fishing…boats
were beating in toward Cromer。 On the horizon line a
Norwegian tramp was drawing a lengthening scarf of smoke。
Save for these the sea was empty。
By gracious permission of the manageress Carl had obtained an
afternoon off； and； changing his coat； he mounted his bicycle
and set forth toward Overstrand。 On his way he nodded to the
local constable； to the postman on his rounds； to the driver
of the char ？banc。 He had been a year in Cromer and was well
known