The door opened and Mr. Blair entered. John Dene swung round from his table and glared at him angrily.
"I tried to telephone," began Mr. Blair.
"Well, you can't," snapped John Dene, "receiver's off. Your boys have been playing dido all morning on my 'phone."
"I'm sorry if——"
"That don't help any. Why don't you stop 'em? Seem to think I'm a sort of enquiry bureau."
Dorothy bent low over her notes to hide the smile she could not restrain at the sight of the obvious wretchedness of Mr. Blair.
"Sir Lyster would like you to step round——"
"Well, I won't; tell him that," was the irascible reply.
"He wants you to meet Sir Harold Winn, the chief naval constructor," explained Mr. Blair.
"Tell him to go to blazes and take his constructions with him. Now vamoose."