Knowing Robert, it seemed to me that the sooner I fixed up something in the way of breakfast the better. He would probably have contented himself with a cup of coffee before starting, and I could hardly expect him to listen intelligently to a long story until he had backed it up with a little solid nourishment. As a first step towards this desired end I set about lighting the fire. It proved an evasive job, but, having at last persuaded it to burn, I opened the remainder of the shutters and carted away the debris of my previous night's feast. Leaving this on the kitchen table, I prowled off once more to the larder, where I had noticed a basin of eggs during my former investigations. Heaven knew how long they had been there, but it was no time for indulging in any false delicacy. I brought them into the hall, together with a pot of marmalade and what was left of the bread and butter, and then, after laying the table and putting on a kettle to boil, I began to think with some favour of a well-earned wash and shave. I had actually reached the foot of the staircase when a sound from outside pulled me up short. It was the unmistakable clang of the garden gate, and, hurrying towards the verandah, I saw to my delight a sturdy figure in naval uniform advancing across the grass. With a joyous shout I flung back the window and stepped forward to meet him. "This is splendid, Bobby," I said. "You're just in time for breakfast." He came up to me, grinning cheerfully, and wrung my hand in a double-fisted grip. "I'm glad to hear it, my lad," he said, "and I'm still more glad to see you looking so devilish well. After your alarming note I expected to find nothing but a nasty mess on the carpet." "You were always an optimist," I remarked. "Come along inside and make yourself useful. You can attend to the tea while I run upstairs and have a wash and shave." He followed me over the threshold, and, tossing his cap on to the sofa, established himself in a comfortable position in front of the fire. "Where's that sunny-faced butler of yours?" he enquired. "Doesn't he like early rising?" "For the time being," I replied, "Bascomb is off the map. You shall hear everything if you'll wait a minute, but it's a long yarn, and I don't want to start telling you in bits and pieces." "Right you are," he drawled. "You bung along off and wash your face. I'll look after the kettle and answer the front door." Leaving him in the act of lighting a cigarette, I retired upstairs to the bathroom, where with the aid of a cold swill and a hasty shave I managed to make myself a little more presentable. I got back to the hall just in time to catch Bobby emerging through the baize door with a saucepan in his hand. "You must excuse the liberty," he remarked, "but I couldn't find anything to boil the eggs in."