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〃'Nor any drop to drink；' to be accurate。〃
Bill looked at him in surprise。 Then a happy smile came on his face。
〃Quite sure？〃 he said。
〃Of course。〃
〃Then you've saved me a lot of trouble。 That's； what the bet was
about。〃 He closed the book with a slam； put it back in its shelf； and
began to feel for his pipe and tobacco。 〃I was a fool to bet with Tony；〃 he
added。 〃He always knows that sort of thing。〃
So far； so good。 But here was Cayley still in the library； and there
was Antony； all unsuspecting； in the passage。 When Antony came back
he would not be surprised to find the door closed； because the whole
object of his going had been to see if he could open it easily from the
inside。 At any moment； then； the bookshelf might swing back and show
Antony's head in the gap。 A nice surprise for Cayley！
〃Come with us？〃 he said casually； as he struck a match。 He pulled
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vigorously at the flame as he waited for the answer； hoping to hide his
anxiety； for if Cayley assented； he was done。
〃I've got to go into Stanton。〃
Bill blew out a great cloud of smoke with an expiration which covered
also a heartfelt sigh of relief。
〃Oh； a pity。 You're driving； I suppose？〃
〃Yes。 The car will be here directly。 There's a letter I must write
first。〃 He sat down at a writing table； and took out a sheet of notepaper。
He was facing the secret door； if it opened he would see it。 At any
moment now it might open。
Bill dropped into a chair and thought。 Antony must be warned。
Obviously。 But how？ How did one signal to anybody？ By code。
Morse code。 Did Antony know it？ Did Bill know it himself； if it came
to that？ He had picked up a bit in the Army not enough to send a
message； of course。 But a message was impossible； anyhow； Cayley
would hear him tapping it out。 It wouldn't do to send more than a single
letter。 What letters did he know？ And what letter would convey
anything to Antony？。。。。 He pulled at his pipe； his eyes wandering from
Cayley at his desk to the Reverend Theodore Ussher in his shelf。 What
letter？
C for Cayley。 Would Antony understand？ Probably not； but it was
just worth trying。 What was C？ Long； short； long； short。 Umpty…iddyumpty…iddy。 Was that right？ C yes； that was C。 He was sure of that。
C。 Umpty…iddy…umpty…iddy。
Hands in pockets； he got up and wandered across the room； humming
vaguely to himself； the picture of a man waiting for another man （as it
might be his friend Gillingham） to come in and take him away for a walk
or something。 He wandered across to the books at the back of Cayley；
and began to tap absent…mindedly on the shelves； as he looked at the titles。
Umpty…iddy…umpty…iddy。 Not that it was much like that at first； he
couldn't get the rhythm of it。。。。 Umpt…y…iddy…umpt…y…iddy。 That was
better。 He was back at Samuel Taylor Coleridge now。 Antony would
begin to hear him soon。 Umpt…y…iddy…umpt…y…iddy； just the aimless
tapping of a man who is wondering what book he will take out with him to
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read on the lawn。 Would Antony hear？ One always heard the man in
the next flat knocking out his pipe。 Would Antony understand？ Umpty…iddy…umpt…y…iddy。 C。 for Cayley； Antony。 Cayley's here。 For God's
sake； wait。
〃Good Lord！ Sermons！〃 said Bill； with a loud laugh。 （Umpt…y…iddyumpt…y…iddy） 〃Ever read 'em； Cayley？〃
〃What？〃 Cayley looked up suddenly。 Bill's back moved slowly along；
his fingers beating a tattoo on the shelves as he walked。
〃Er no；〃 said Cayley； with a little laugh。 An awkward； uncomfortable
little laugh； it seemed to Bill。
〃Nor do I。〃 He was past the sermons now past the secret door but
still tapping in the same aimless way。
〃Oh； for God's sake sit down；〃 burst out Cayley。 〃Or go outside if
you want to walk about。〃
Bill turned round in astonishment。
〃Hallo； what's the matter？〃
Cayley was slightly ashamed of his outburst。
〃Sorry； Bill；〃 he apologized。 〃My nerves are on edge。 Your
constant tapping and fidgeting about …〃
〃Tapping？〃 said Bill with an air of complete surprise。
〃Tapping on the shelves； and humming。 Sorry。 It got on my
nerves。〃
〃My dear old chap； I'm awfully sorry。 I'll go out in the hall。〃
〃It's all right；〃 said Cayley； and went on with his letter。 Bill sat down
in his chair again。 Had Antony understood？ Well； anyhow； there was
nothing to do now but wait for Cayley to go。 〃And if you ask me；〃 said
Bill to himself； much pleased； 〃I ought to be on the stage。 That's where I
ought to be。 The complete actor。〃
A minute； two minutes； three minutes。。。。 five minutes。 It was safe now。
Antony had guessed。
〃Is the car there？〃 asked Cayley； as he sealed up his letter。
Bill strolled into the hall； called back 〃Yes；〃 and went out to talk to the
chauffeur。 Cayley joined him； and they stood there for a moment。
〃Hallo；〃 said a pleasant voice behind them。 They turned round and
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saw Antony。
〃Sorry to keep you waiting； Bill。〃
With a tremendous effort Bill restrained his feelings； and said casually
enough that it was all right。
〃Well； I must be off；〃 said Cayley。 〃You're going down to the
village？〃
〃That's the idea。〃
〃I wonder if you'd take this letter to Jallands for me？〃
〃Of course。〃
〃Thanks very much。 Well； I shall see you later。〃
He nodded and got into the car。
As soon as they were alone Bill turned eagerly to his friend。
〃Well？〃 he said excitedly。
〃Come into the library。〃
They went in； and Tony sank down into a chair。
〃You must give me a moment；〃 he panted。 〃I've been running。〃
〃Running？〃
〃Well； of course。 How do you think I got back here？〃
〃You don't mean you went out at the other end？〃
Antony nodded。
〃I say； did you hear me tapping？〃
〃I did； indeed。 Bill； you're a genius。〃
Bill blushed。
I knew you'd understand；〃 he said。 〃You guessed that I meant
Cayley？〃
〃I did。 It was the least I could do after you had been so brilliant。 You
must have had rather an exciting time。〃
〃Exciting？ Good lord； I should think it was。〃
〃Tell me about it。〃
As modestly as possible； Mr。 Beverley explained his qualifications for
a life on the stage。
〃Good man；〃 said Antony at the end of it。 〃You are the most perfect
Watson that ever lived。 Bill； my lad；〃 he went on dramatically； rising and
taking Bill's hand in both of his； 〃There is nothing that you and I could not
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accomplish together； if we gave our minds to it。〃
〃Silly old ass。〃
〃That's what you always say when I'm being serious。 Well； anyway；
thanks awfully。 You really saved us this time。〃
〃Were you coming back？〃
〃Yes。 At least I think I was。 I was just wondering when I heard you
tapping。 The fact of the door being shut was rather surprising。 Of course
the whole idea was to see if it could be opened easily from the other side；
but I felt somehow that you wouldn't shut it until the last possible moment
… until you saw me coming back。 Well； hen I heard the taps； and I knew
it must mean something； so I sat t