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point on the origin of the phrase 'Dutch courage.' Dating, you see, my dear Reeves, from the seventeenth century, the last time when we were seriously at war with the Dutch. Meanwhile, I wish we were still at war with the Germans, and this were a German dugout. Because then we should simply stand at the entrance with a bomb and tell them to come out. But there again I suppose the Secretary wouldn't be best pleased⁠—really, he's becoming a nuisance, that Secretary."

"You still haven't told me how we're going to proceed."

"We proceed with me in front and you behind. I have the revolver, you have the electric torch. You hold it at arm's length, just in front of my shoulder. That ought to puzzle the other man if it comes to shooting. Conversation will be conducted in a low tone of voice. If we find nobody there, we emerge at the billiard-room end, and tell Carmichael he's a fool."

"Good. I'm not really certain, when all's said and done, that I really want to meet this man. Curiosity has its limits, I find."

"Well, are you ready? Flash the light into the passage as soon as I open the door. Then let me go in first, and follow up close."

The passage was startlingly high, having the whole height of the outer room. It was so narrow that you instinctively edged sideways along it, though there was just room to walk breast-forward and avoid contact with the cobweb-matted walls.