“Let me through here, sergeant, with my party,” said Duff. “I'm under orders of Colonel Kavanagh.”
The sergeant, an old British army man, looked them over.
“Have you an order, sir—a written order, I mean?”
“No,” said Duff. “I haven't, but the colonel expects us. He is waiting for me now.”
“Sorry, sir,” replied the sergeant, “my orders are to let no one through without a written pass.”
Duff argued, stormed, threatened, swore; but to no purpose. The N. C. O. knew his job.
“Send a note in,” suggested Barry in Duff's ear.
“Good idea,” replied Duff, and wrote hurriedly.
“Here, take this through to your colonel,” he said, passing the note to the sergeant.
Almost immediately Colonel Kavanagh came out and greeted Duff warmly.