Part 13 (2/2)

(1) Place not harbour but open coast

(2) Boat small--trawler, yacht, or launch

(3) Place somewhere on East Coast between Cromer and Dover

It struckat that desk with a Cabinet Minister, a Field-Marshal, two high Governa secret which meant life or death for us

Sir Walter had joined us, and presently MacGillivray arrived He had sent out instructions to watch the ports and railway stations for the three men whom I had described to Sir Walter Not that he or anybody else thought that that would do ood

'Here's the ot to find a place where there are several staircases down to the beach, one of which has thirty-nine steps I think it's a piece of open coast with biggish cliffs, somewhere between the Wash and the Channel Also it's a place where full tide is at 1017 toht'

Then an idea struck uards or some fellow like that who knows the East Coast?'

Whittaker said there was, and that he lived in Clapham He went off in a car to fetch him, and the rest of us sat about the little roo that ca again till uard man arrived He was a fine old felloith the look of a naval officer, and was desperately respectful to the company I left the War Minister to cross-examine him, for I felt he would think it cheek in me to talk

'We want you to tell us the places you know on the East Coast where there are cliffs, and where several sets of steps run down to the beach'

He thought for a bit 'What kind of steps do you mean, Sir? There are plenty of places with roads cut down through the cliffs, and ular staircases--all steps, so to speak?'

Sir Arthur looked towards ular staircases,' I said

He reflected a minute or two 'I don't know that I can think of any

Wait a second There's a place in Norfolk--Brattleshaolf-course, where there are a couple of staircases, to let the gentleet a lost ball'

'That's not it,' I said

'Then there are plenty of Marine Parades, if that's what you mean

Every seaside resort has theot to be entlemen, I can't think of anywhere else Of course, there's the Ruff--'

'What's that?' I asked

'The big chalk headland in Kent, close to Bradgate It's got a lot of villas on the top, and some of the houses have staircases down to a private beach It's a very high-toned sort of place, and the residents there like to keep by theate High tide there was at 1017 Pm on the 15th of June

'We're on the scent at last,' I cried excitedly 'How can I find out what is the tide at the Ruff?'

'I can tell you that, Sir,' said the coastguard man 'I once was lent a house there in this very ht to the deep-sea fishi+ng The tide's ten ate'

I closed the book and looked round at the company

'If one of those staircases has thirty-nine steps we have solved the entlemen,' I said 'I want the loan of your car, Sir Walter, and a map of the roads If Mr MacGillivray will sparefor toe of the business like this, but they didn't seem to mind, and after all I had been in the show froh jobs, and these eentleave me my commission 'I for one,' he said, 'am content to leave the matter in Mr Hannay's hands'