"P'raps," admitted Claverhouse, with his characteristic drawl. "'Tany rate the bloke's straightforward enough to tell you that you might be chucking your money away." "That's so," agreed Beverley. "We can investigate. I suppose there's no obligation to carry on if the thing looks fishy." "I don't mind going that far," said Villiers. "And if it looks a sound scheme I'll plank down three hundred. After all three hundred is only worth about a hundred and eighty pounds, and if we are kept employed for a twelvemonth and get a bit of excitement chucked in, well--we might just as soon spend our gratuities that way as being rooked and rushed at home." Beverley made no audible comment. He was of a cautious nature, and his cautiousness was heightened by the fact that he was responsible for the maintenance of a young brother for at least a couple of years. While the waiter was taking orders the subject was dropped, but as soon as the man had departed Claverhouse returned to the matter. "Wonder if it's a filibustering stunt?" he hazarded. "Or piracy," added Villiers. "I heard a yarn floating around only yesterday about a merchant skipper whose crew were killed in cold blood by a U-boat. The old man was taken prisoner, but managed to escape, and now he's vowed to get his own back. How I don't know, unless he turns pirate and goes for every Fritz he falls in with on the high seas." "Thanks, I'm not having any there," declared Beverley. "I don't want to find myself hanging in the modern equivalent to Execution Dock." "Nor I," added Villiers. "Apparently this stunt has something to do with the sea, since it's R.N.V.R. fellows who are wanted." "And Air Force blokes," said Claverhouse gently. "Nothing like sticking up for your own crush, old bird," remarked Villiers. "Yes, that part puzzles me a bit. Look here, let's take Beverley's advice and make inquiries. If it isn't all jonnick we can pipe down." "When?" asked Claverhouse. "Now? At once?" Villiers laughed. "Hardly," he replied. "Pretty guys we'd look trotting round to Richborough Chambers and asking for 'Joystick'. It's too much like asking for trouble to my mind. No, the best thing we can do without compromising ourselves is to write and ask for an interview. Then we can resolve ourselves into a Committee of Ways and Means." "Joint letter?" asked Beverley. "No, individual, briefly stating our qualifications," replied Villiers. "But, in that case, you or I might be sent for and the others ignored," objected Claverhouse. "I vote we stick together--united we stand sort of touch." "That's the stuff to give 'em," was Villiers' rejoinder. CHAPTER II To the Rescue It was not until the following Thursday afternoon that Villiers, as head of the informal Mutual Advancement Syndicate, received a reply to the joint letter to "Joystick".