He nodded cheerily to Thomson.
"When did you leave London ?" he asked.
"Nine o'clock last evening, sir," Thomson replied.

"Rather a record trip.

We had a special down and a destroyer over." "And I'm going to tell you what you want to know," the General continued glancing at a document in his hand.

"Well, close the door, Harewood.

Out with it ?" "It's about Captain Granet of Harrison's staff," Thomson began.
The General frowned and knocked the ashes from his pipe.
"Well," he asked, "what is it ?" "We've reasons of our own for wishing to know exactly what you meant by asking the War Office not to send him back again," Thomson continued.
The General hesitated.
"Well, what are they ?" "They are a little intangible, sir," Thomson confessed, "but exceedingly important.