It shan't occur again.

I am rather over-particular, no doubt, in my desire for complete isolation, but I have good reasons for insisting on the point.

Rightly or wrongly, I have got it into my head that some day there might be an organised raid upon my grounds.

If anything of the sort should occur I suppose I might reckon upon your assistance ?" "With all my heart." "So that if ever you got a message such as 'Come up,' or even 'Cloomber,' you would know that it was an appeal for help, and would hurry up immediately, even if it were in the dead of the night ?" "Most certainly I should," I answered.

"But might I ask you what the nature of the danger is which you apprehend ?" "There would be nothing gained by your knowing.