Sir Bridgman laughed loudly, as much at the expression on Sir Lyster's face as at the occurrence itself. "Such incidents," said Sir Lyster, "are, I think, very undesirable." "It looks as if John Dene were a dark horse," suggested Sir Bridgman. "Was the other girl pretty?" "I really didn't notice," said Sir Lyster stiffly. "I thought perhaps you might"--he hesitated for a fraction of a second--"just drop him a hint," he added. "And be gingered-up as high as our own aerials," laughed Sir Bridgman. "No, my dear Grayne," he added, "I find 'gingering-up' intensely interesting in its application to others. Get Blair to do it." "But I'm afraid it may create a scandal," said Sir Lyster. "Oh! another little scandal won't do us any harm," laughed Sir Bridgman. "Now I must be off. By the way," he said, as he reached the door, "what time did this little tea-fight take place?" "It was about four o'clock when Winn and I----" "Right," said Sir Bridgman, "I'll drop in about that time to-morrow and see what's doing," and the door closed behind him. A moment later he put his head round the door. "One of these days you'll be finding Blair with a girl on each knee," he laughed, and with that he was gone. John Dene's reason for wishing to have offices somewhere away from the Admiralty had been twofold. For one thing he did not desire those he knew were closely watching should see him in close association with Whitehall; for another he felt that he could breathe more freely away from gold braid and those long dreary corridors, which seemed so out of keeping with the headquarters of a Navy at war. He now determined to get out at once. The constant interruptions to which he found himself subjected, rendered concentration impossible. He therefore informed Dorothy that at nine o'clock next morning they would start work in the new offices he had taken in Waterloo Place. They consisted of two rooms, one leading off the other. The larger room John Dene decided to use himself, the smaller he handed over to Dorothy. With a celerity that had rather surprised John Dene the telephone had been connected and a private wire run through to the Admiralty. "The thing about a Britisher," he remarked to Dorothy, "is that he can hustle, but won't." She allowed the remark to pass unchallenged.