"Interesting place that cave," said Jimmy cheerfully. "Did you find anything inside?"
"You'll excuse my reminding you, my lord," said the senior officer, "that what we found and what we didn't find is no affair of yours."
"Of course not," said Jimmy. "Have a cigarette and some beer. You must want beer."
The senior officer did want beer. So did the others, all four of them. Jimmy's manner was engaging, and Jimmy, after all, was a real earl.
"Duty is duty, my lord," said the officer apologetically.
"And duty when done," said Jimmy, "deserves beer."
That was true, and duty when done permits of the relaxation of official dignity. The beer in Jimmy's jug was finished, and Whittle, grinning foolishly, fetched some more. That was drunk. Jimmy's cigarettes were finished. The senior officer thawed into a confidence.
"I didn't never expect to find anything in the cave, my lord, not me. It stands to reason that gentlemen like yourself and Sir Evelyn Dent wouldn't be trying those sort of tricks. But duty is duty."
"It is," said Jimmy, "always was, and I hope always will be."
"And when I got my orders, my lord, I obeyed them. But, in a manner of speaking, I knew pretty well we were after a mare's nest. The fellow that sent the information from France—well, I never did trust foreigners much, and of course it's from foreigners that sort of information mostly comes."