“Makin’ notes?”
Aggett, with low waistcoat and bulging shirt-front, stood there, his hands thrust in his pockets, his chin pushed forward over a choker collar. He must have come down as soon as dinner was finished and the wine passed.
“Gettin’ keen on engineerin’? Let’s see.”
He held out a hand into which, without hesitation, John put his book. There was a long pause.
“Often write this balderdash on watch?”
“Two books full, sir, and what you see.”
“Why?”
“I get an idea and I write it down, sir.”
This was Aggett’s chance. At last he had caught one of them committing a really serious offence. Officers were required when on watch to give continuous attention to duty. Hartington could not get out of this, Aggett reflected. He tore out a blank sheet from the notebook.
“Pencil,” he said, stretching out his hand.