Not a word did Bennett speak while Stirling was relating the incidents of his stay at Delfzyl and expounding his theories. Occasionally he would make a pencil note on his blotting pad.
"I quite agree with you, Stirling," he said at length. "A precipitate disclosure would be most injudicious. I'll ring up Thompson.
"You there, Thompson? This is Bennett. Can you spare me half an hour?"
"Impossible."
"You must. Stirling, my special, has just returned from Holland. Very important news."
"Well, out with it."
"Must see you personally."
"Very well then." Thompson glanced irritably at the half-completed "leader" on his desk. "Half an hour. Ring off."
It was more than two hours before The Yachtsman's Journal editor and Stirling left the offices of The Westminster Daily Record. They did not leave alone. Thompson accompanied them, having delegated the completion of his leader to the sub-editor.
Outside the offices the three men entered a taxi and were driven to the Foreign Office. The presentation of Thompson's card was a sure passport to the sanctum of Sir Theophilus Brazenose, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.