"Tiger hasn't given me anything to do for a couple of months," he said, "except this job here and orders to keep my eyes and ears open for sabotage, and all that sort of stuff. I think a little real action would just about save my life."
Dawson tried hard to control the start that the unexpected words gave him, but he didn't succeed very well.
"Tiger, Major?" he echoed, as a little note of caution sounded deep within him.
Major Parker smiled, and a little bit of red seeped up into his leathery face.
"I couldn't help but see the signature, Dawson," he said. "But you have my word of honor that I didn't read it. Because I saw that it was addressed to you two. Colonel Welsh taught me that secret code of his just before he sent me down to this place. I haven't been lucky enough, yet, to have had the chance to use it."
Since their messenger-boy mission had been washed out, at least until Colonel Welsh's arrival at midnight, there was no reason to check Major Parker's connection with Intelligence, but Dave somehow couldn't pass it by.
"I see, sir," he said quietly. "Well, Farmer and I were taught something, too, before we left. We were taught to take an interest in copper discs. Are you interested in copper discs, sir?"
"Slightly," the other said with a chuckle. "At least I'm interested in one copper disc. It has numbers on it."
"Numbers?" Dawson murmured, and tried to look a little surprised.
Major Parker smiled, and slipped a hand into his pocket.