Benton, the fat old butler, entered the drawing-room and, approaching me, said:
'Mr. Moncrieff is on the telephone, sir.'
I sprang up with alacrity and, a few seconds later, spoke to my friend at the listening-post.
'You there, Munro?' he asked. 'We've just had a message to say that three Zeppelins are crossing the North Sea in the direction of the Norfolk coast.'
'Right!' I said, and shut off at once. There was no time to lose.
In a moment I told them of the alarm. Without much delay Teddy and I slipped into our air-kit, while Theed, with the machine wheeled out into the park, reported that all was in readiness.
I met Roseye in the corridor above the central staircase of the great old-world house, and there kissed her fondly.
'For your dear sake I go, and for the sake of my King and country!' I whispered. 'Good-bye, my darling. Keep a stout heart until you hear of me again!'
'But—oh!—oh!—I fear, Claude!' she cried anxiously, clinging to me.
'No, my darling. We must, to-day, all make sacrifices. There must be no fear. I shall be back with you to-morrow.'
And then again I kissed her and disengaged those loving, clinging arms about me.
Five minutes later Teddy and I were away in the air.
The night was dull and overcast with a promise of clearing—yet bitterly cold.
