"I guess you've no right to ask such a thing!  Of course I am!"

"Don't be offended.  You wouldn't be if you knew how much there
was at stake. But I've got to trust some one--and it must be a
woman."

"Why?"

"Because of 'women and children first.'  " He looked round and
lowered his voice.  "I'm carrying papers--vitally important
papers. They may make all the difference to the Allies in the
war. You understand?  These papers have GOT to be saved! They've
more chance with you than with me.  Will you take them?"

The girl held out her hand.

"Wait--I must warn you.  There may be a risk--if I've been
followed. I don't think I have, but one never knows.  If so,
there will be danger. Have you the nerve to go through with it?"

The girl smiled.

"I'll go through with it all right.  And I'm real proud to be
chosen! What am I to do with them afterwards?"

"Watch the newspapers!  I'll advertise in the personal column of
the Times, beginning 'Shipmate.' At the end of three days if
there's nothing--well, you'll know I'm down and out. Then take
the packet to the American Embassy, and deliver it into the
Ambassador's own hands.  Is that clear?"

"Quite clear."

"Then be ready--I'm going to say good-bye." He took her hand in
his. "Good-bye. Good luck to you," he said in a louder tone.

Her hand closed on the oilskin packet that had lain in his palm.

The Lusitania settled with a more decided list to starboard. In
answer to a quick command, the girl went forward to take her
place in the boat.



CHAPTER I

THE YOUNG ADVENTURERS, LTD.

"TOMMY, old thing!"

"Tuppence, old bean!"

The two young people greeted each other affectionately, and
momentarily blocked the Dover Street Tube exit in doing so. The
adjective "old" was misleading.  Their united ages would
certainly not have totalled forty-five.

"Not seen you for simply centuries," continued the young man.
"Where are you off to?  Come and chew a bun with me. We're
getting a bit unpopular here--blocking the gangway as it were.
Let's get out of it."

The girl assenting, they started walking down Dover Street
towards Piccadilly.

"Now then," said Tommy, "where shall we go?"

The very faint anxiety which underlay his tone did not escape the
astute ears of Miss Prudence Cowley, known to her intimate
friends for some mysterious reason as "Tuppence."  She pounced at
once.

"Tommy, you're stony!"

"Not a bit of it," declared Tommy unconvincingly. "Rolling in
cash."

"You always were a shocking liar," said Tuppence severely,
"though you did once persuade Sister Greenbank that the doctor
had ordered you beer as a tonic, but forgotten to write it on the
chart. Do you remember?"

Tommy chuckled.

"I should think I did!  Wasn't the old cat in a rage when she
found out? Not that she was a bad sort really, old Mother
Greenbank!  Good old hospital--demobbed like everything else, I
suppose?"

Tuppence sighed.

"Yes.  You too?"

Tommy nodded.

"Two months ago."

"Gratuity?" hinted Tuppence.

"Spent."