A moment later a fair-haired boy, perhaps twenty-three years old, was ushered into the room. He greeted us respectfully, but with an open-hearted delight which he made no attempt to conceal. "How d'you do? I'm most awfully glad to see you. Officially, I'm here by request. The comic mayor got hold of me. He's worried to death because he can't converse with you. I don't suppose you mind, but it's shortening his life. I've had a fearful time with him. There are about a thousand things he wants to know, and he's commissioned me to find them out without asking any questions. That, he says, would be most rude. Unofficially, I'm--well, I'm at your service. If I'd known you were coming, I'd have been here before. I'm attached to Madrid, really, but I'm putting in six weeks here--for my sins." "You're very kind," said Berry. "Incidentally, you're a godsend--the second we've had to-day. The first, I may say, lies in five feet of water on a particularly blasted mountain-side. But don't be disconcerted. We shouldn't think of drowning you. For one thing, you're much too valuable. And now sit down, and have some cold coffee and a glass of kummel." As he sank into a seat-- "Mr. Hallilay," said Daphne, twittering, "I can't bear it. _Why are we here?_" The boy looked at her curiously. Then-- "Well," he said, "there was no other place. Even if the Grand had been open, I gather it's hardly fit.... Of course there's been the most awful mix-up. Trust Spain for that. The Post Office knew they couldn't deliver the wire. Instead of telling somebody, or communicating with Pau, they let it lie in the office till this afternoon. Then they took it to the mayor. Of course he nearly died. But, being a man of action, he got a move on. He flew round here and laid the facts before the steward--the owner happens to be away--and arranged to put this house at your disposal. Then he rushed round, borrowed a couple of cars, and spent what time he had left splitting his brain over your wire and hovering between the station and the various approaches to Pampeluna. As an inevitable result, he missed you, and when he finally had the brain-wave of inquiring at the Grand and found you'd already arrived, he nearly shot himself." "But why--I mean," I stammered, "it's devilish good of the mayor and you and everyone, but why--in the first place, why did the Post Office take the wire to the mayor?" Hallilay raised his eyebrows. "Well," he said slowly, "when they saw the telegram, they realised----" "Who sent the wire?" said Berry. "I did," said Jonah. "I said, _Retenez lundi soir, deux grandes deux petites chambres avec salle de bain en suite, arrive en auto._ _MANSEL."_ For a moment I thought the boy was going to faint. Then he covered his face and began to shake with laughter.... Presently he plucked a form from his pocket, unfolded it, and handed it to me.