‘I do. I’m sorry to say I regard the man as a moron.’

‘That, if you will forgive me, Dr Ackrington, is a mistake. I feel sure that we should be extremely ill-advised to dismiss Webley as a person of no intelligence. And in any case, if, as I am persuaded, Questing has been deliberately sent to an unspeakable death, do we not wish his murderer to be discovered?’

With a faint smile Mr Falls looked from one face to another. After an uncomfortable interval, Gaunt, Dr Ackrington and Dikon all spoke together. ‘Yes, of course,’ they said impatiently. ‘Of course,’ Dr Ackrington added. ‘But I must tell you at the outset, Falls, that if you concur with the official view of this case, I utterly disagree with you. However, I merely wish to warn you of the possible, the almost inevitable blunders that will be perpetrated by this person. If he is to be in charge of this case I consider that none of us is safe.’

‘And what are you going to do about it?’ asked Gaunt offensively.

‘I intend to call a meeting.’

‘Good God, how perfectly footling!’

‘And why, may I ask you? Why?’

‘Does somebody propose somebody else as a murderer? Or what?’

‘You are facetious, sir,’ said Dr Ackrington furiously. ‘I confess that I did not expect to find you so confident of your own immunity.’

‘I should like to know precisely what you mean by that, Ackrington.’

‘Come,’ said Falls. ‘Nothing is gained by losing our tempers.’

‘Nor by the merciless introduction of clichés,’ Gaunt retorted, darting his head at him.

‘Are you in there, James?’ asked Colonel Claire. His face, slightly distorted, was pressed against the window pane.

‘I’m coming.’ Dr Ackrington surveyed his audience of three, it is my duty,’ he said grandly, ‘to inform you that Webley has apparently been recalled to Harpoon. His men have returned to the reserve. At the moment we are not under direct supervision and I suggest that we lose no time in discussing our position. We are meeting in the dining-room in ten minutes. After this conversation I cannot, I imagine, expect to see you there.’

‘On the contrary,’ said Falls, ‘I shall certainly attend.’

‘And I,’ said Dikon.

‘Obviously,’ said Gaunt, ‘I had better be there, if only to protect myself.’

‘I am delighted that you recognize the necessity,’ said Dr Ackrington. ‘Coming, Edward.’ He joined his brother-in-law on the verandah.