'Frank!' I echoed. 'Of course I'll be frank!'
Again he looked me straight in the face with those funny, half-closed little eyes of his. Then, after a few moments' pause, he asked:
'Now—tell me. Is it a fact that you, with a friend of yours named Ashton, have made some very remarkable electrical discovery?'
I looked at him, stunned by surprise. He noticed my abject astonishment.
'I'll go farther,' he went on. 'Does this discovery of yours concern aircraft; is it designed to bring disaster upon Zeppelins; and are you engaged in perfecting a secret invention in which you have the most entire confidence? In other words, have you nearly perfected a method by which you will be able to successfully combat enemy airships in the air? Tell me the truth, Mr. Munro—in strictest secrecy, remember.'
His words staggered me. How could he know the secret that we had so closely guarded?
I did not reply for several moments.
'Well? ' he asked, repeating his question.
'I don't see why I should reveal to anyone—even to you—what I have been doing in the interests of the defence of our country,' I protested.
'Except that by doing so we should both be able to carry our investigations farther—and, I hope, to a satisfactory issue.'
I had given my word to Teddy and to Roseye, and they had given their words to me, to disclose nothing. This I recollected and, therefore, I hesitated.
The captain, seeing my reluctance, said:
