‘You don’t mean to say that they intend to pay us a visit to-night? Come now.’
‘Every reason to believe so, Captain.’
‘But, confound it! how do you know all this?’
‘Secret information. Know many things. Mrs Bowood keeps her jewel-case in top left-hand drawer in her dressing-room. Know that.’
‘Bless my heart! How did you find that out?’
‘Secret information. Gold chronometer with inscription on it hidden away at the bottom of your writing-desk. Know that.’
‘How the’——
‘Secret information.’
‘O Charley, Charley, you artful darling!’—this sotto voce from Miss Brandon.
The Captain looked bewildered, as well he might. ‘This is really most wonderful,’ he said. ‘But about those rascals who, you say, are going to visit us to-night?’