‘ “Once more into the blasted breeches, pals,” ’ said Smith in a shrill falsetto. ‘ “Once more” We could hear you all the way down the path. Does it hurt you much?’

‘Cut it out, for Pete’s sake, Bert,’ whispered Simon and stifled a laugh.

‘I resent this,’ said Gaunt, breathing noisily.

‘My dear Gaunt, surely not?’ soothed Mr Falls. ‘A piquant incident! You will dine off it when the undesirable publicity has subsided. I should like to ask Mr Smith and Mr Claire,’ he went on, ‘if they and Mr Gaunt’s man remained in the hall until the general exodus.’

‘Yes,’ said Simon, glaring at him.

‘Did you see Questing go out?’ asked Dr Ackrington.

‘Too right we did,’ said Smith. ‘He was talking to us. Well, to me. Very pleased with his bit of a speech and skiting about it. It was while we were with some of the Maori gang, wasn’t it, Sim? Outside the hall.’

‘That’s right. And d’you know what I reckon he was doing?’

‘You’re asking me!’ said Smith. ‘He was passing over the doings. Had a bottle in his overcoat pocket. One of those flatties.’

‘Brandy,’ said Simon.

‘Yeh. I saw him slip it to young Maui Matai. It’s like what I told Rua. He was keeping in with the young lot. That’s why Maui asked us to have one. I could of done with it, too,’ confessed Smith.

‘Well, and then Ernie Priest came along,’ Simon explained, ‘and the four of us sloped off up to his car.’

‘Leaving Questing with those Maori youths?’ asked Falls.

‘That’s right,’ said Smith.

‘Interesting!’ Falls murmured. ‘And your Maori friends said nothing to you of this, Colonel?’

‘They wouldn’t. They know what we think about the whole business of giving spirits to the natives.’

‘It would be after this that you met Questing, Mr Gaunt?’

‘I suppose so. Yes, yes,’ said Gaunt in an exhausted voice.

‘Ah, yes,’ said Mr Falls blandly. ‘Quite so. Afterwards. I take it,’ he went on with his air of precision, ‘that this meeting doesn’t wish for a repetition of my own extremely inconclusive statement? I understand that you have all become acquainted with it.’