But when that to-morrow came he knew that even these were to be denied him; for the long-deferred call of the Yard had come, and Narkom, ringing him up at breakfast time, asked for an immediate meeting.
“In town, dear chap, as near to Liverpool Street and as early as you can possibly make it.”
“Well, I can’t make it earlier than half-past ten. I’ve got a little private business of my own to attend to, as it happens, Mr. Narkom,” he replied. “I’d put it off if I could, but I can’t. To-day before noon is the last possible hour. But look here! I can meet you at half-past ten in Bishopsgate Street, between St. Ethelburga’s Church and Bevis Narks, if that will do. Will, eh? All right. Be on the lookout for me there, then. What? The new blue limousine, eh? Right you are. I’m your man to the tick of the half hour. Good-bye!”
And he was, as it turned out. For the new blue limousine (a glistening, spic-span sixty-horsepower machine, perfect in every detail) had no more than come to a standstill at the kerb in the exact neighbourhood stated at the exact half hour agreed upon, when open whisked the door, and in jumped Cleek with the swiftness and agility of a cat.
CHAPTER XXVI
“Good morning, my friend. I hope I haven’t taken you too much by surprise,” he said, as the limousine sprang into activity the instant he closed the door, and settled himself down beside the superintendent.
“Not more than usual, dear chap. But I shall never get quite used to some of your little tricks. Gad! You’re the most abnormally prompt beggar that ever existed, I do believe. You absolutely break all records.”
“Well, I certainly came within a hair’s breadth of losing my reputation this morning, then,” he answered cheerily, as he fumbled in his pockets for a match. “It was a hard pull to cover the distance and get through the business in time, I can tell you, with the brief margin I had. But fortunately——Here! Take charge of that, will you? And read it over while I’m getting a light.”
“That” was a long legal-looking envelope which he had whisked out of his pocket and tossed into Narkom’s lap.