'Yes. Even now I can't, for the life of me, discover the reason,' I replied. ' Yet we have, happily, tested this new apparatus of ours, and we know it is feasible as soon as ever we can get its weight further reduced, and the ray intensified.'
'And the sooner you can do that, the better,' my well-beloved declared. 'Before very long, at the present rate of increase, we shall, I expect, see Zeppelins of a much greater size.'
'True,' I remarked, as I watched Teddy spring out of his bus, and make his way across the aerodrome in our direction. 'No time should be lost. To be effective the aeroplane will have to be able to climb to 18,000 feet, and even remain aloft at that height for hours to lie in wait for the airship. The airship of one year hence will inevitably be a much more formidable machine than the present Zeppelin.'
'But we must be most careful to keep the secret, Claude,' she urged. 'The enemy must not know it, or they may combat us!'
I was silent for a few moments. Across my mind there flashed the recollection of that strange enemy message in cipher that had been found in her card-case.
What could be the explanation of that mystery?
It was plain that the enemy were in possession of some facts and, further, that at all hazards, and regardless of all risks, they intended to discover our secret.
I disregarded her remark, merely answering:
'I fear the Zeppelin menace will be serious in the North Sea before many months. It is only the bad weather which protects us.'
