CHAPTER II

CONCERNING ALARUM CLOCKS

"Now where shall we put them?"

Dinner was over. Lady Coote had been once more detailed for duty. Sir

Oswald had unexpectedly come to the rescue by suggesting bridge--not

that suggesting is the right word. Sir Oswald, as became one of

"Our Captains of Industry" (No. 7 of Series I), merely expressed a

preference and those around him hastened to accommodate themselves to

the great man's wishes.

Rupert Bateman and Sir Oswald were partners against Lady Coote and

Gerald Wade, which was a very happy arrangement. Sir Oswald played

bridge, like he did everything else, extremely well, and liked a

partner to correspond. Bateman was as efficient a bridge player as

he was a secretary. Both of them confined themselves strictly to the

matter in hand, merely uttering in curt short barks, "Two no trumps,"

"Double," "Three spades." Lady Coote and Gerald Wade were amiable and

discursive and the young man never failed to say at the conclusion

of each hand, "I say, partner, you played that simply splendidly,"

in tones of simple admiration which Lady Coote found both novel and

extremely soothing. They also held very good cards.

The others were supposed to be dancing to the wireless in the big

ballroom. In reality they were grouped around the door of Gerald Wade's

bedroom, and the air was full of subdued giggles and the loud ticking

of clocks.

"Under the bed in a row," suggested Jimmy in answer to Bill's question.

"And what shall we set them at? What time, I mean? All together so that

there's one glorious what-not, or at intervals?"

The point was hotly disputed. One party argued that for a champion

sleeper like Gerry Wade the combined ringing of eight alarum clocks was

necessary. The other party argued in favour of steady and sustained

effort.

In the end the latter won the day. The clocks were set to go off one

after the other, starting at 6:30 A.M.

"And I hope," said Bill virtuously, "that this will be a lesson to him."

"Hear, hear," said Socks.

The business of hiding the clocks was just being begun when there was a

sudden alarm.

"Hist," cried Jimmy. "Somebody's coming up the stairs."

There was a panic.

"It's all right," said Jimmy. "It's only Pongo."

Taking advantage of being dummy, Mr. Bateman was going to his room for

a handkerchief. He paused on his way and took in the situation at a

glance. He then made a comment, a simple and practical one.

"He will hear them ticking when he goes to bed."

The conspirators looked at each other.

"What did I tell you?" said Jimmy in a reverent voice. "Pongo always

_did_ have brains!"

The brainy one passed on.

"It's true," admitted Ronny Devereux, his head on one side. "Eight

clocks all ticking at once do make a devil of a row. Even old Gerry,

ass as he is, couldn't miss it. He'll guess something's up."

"I wonder if he is," said Jimmy Thesiger.

"Is what?"

"Such an ass as we all think."

Ronny stared at him.

"We all know old Gerald."

"Do we?" said Jimmy. "I've sometimes thought that--well, that it isn't

possible for anyone to be quite the ass old Gerry makes himself out to

be."

They all stared at him. There was a serious look on Ronny's face.

"Jimmy," he said, "you've got brains."

"A second Pongo," said Bill encouragingly.

"Well, it just occurred to me, that's all," said Jimmy, defending

himself.

"Oh! don't let's all be subtle," cried Socks. "What are we to do about

these clocks?"

"Here's Pongo coming back again. Let's ask him," suggested Jimmy.

Pongo, urged to bring his great brain to bear upon the matter, gave his

decision.

"Wait till he's gone to bed and got to sleep. Then enter the room very

quietly and put the clocks down on the floor."

"Little Pongo's right again," said Jimmy. "On the word one all park

clocks, and then we'll go downstairs and disarm suspicion."

Bridge was still proceeding--with a slight difference. Sir Oswald was

now playing with his wife and was conscientiously pointing out to her

the mistakes she had made during the play of each hand. Lady Coote

accepted reproof good-humouredly, and with a complete lack of any real

interest. She reiterated, not once but many times:

"I see, dear. It's so kind of you to tell me."

And she continued to make exactly the same errors.

At intervals, Gerald Wade said to Pongo:

"Well played, partner, jolly well played."

Bill Eversleigh was making calculations with Ronny Devereux.

"Say he goes to bed about twelve--what do you think we ought to give

him--about an hour?"

He yawned.

"Curious thing--three in the morning is my usual time for bye-bye,

but to-night, just because I know we've got to sit up a bit, I'd give

anything to be a mother's boy and turn in right away."

Everyone agreed that he felt the same.

"My dear Maria," rose the voice of Sir Oswald in mild irritation,

"I have told you over and over again not to hesitate when you are

wondering whether to finesse or not. You give the whole table

information."

Lady Coote had a very good answer to this--namely that as Sir Oswald

was dummy, he had no right to comment on the play of the hand. But she

did not make it. Instead she smiled kindly, leaned her ample chest well

forward over the table, and gazed firmly into Gerald Wade's hand where

he sat on her right.

Her anxieties lulled to rest by perceiving the queen, she played the

knave and took the trick and proceeded to lay down her cards.

"Four tricks and the rubber," she announced. "I think I was very lucky

to get four tricks there."

"Lucky," murmured Gerald Wade, as he pushed back his chair and came

over to the fireplace to join the others. "Lucky, she calls it. That

woman wants watching."

Lady Coote was gathering up notes and silver.

"I know I'm not a good player," she announced in a mournful tone which

nevertheless held an undercurrent of pleasure in it. "But I'm really

very lucky at the game."

"You'll never be a bridge player, Maria," said Sir Oswald.

"No, dear," said Lady Coote. "I know I shan't. You're always telling me

so. And I do try so hard."

"She does," said Gerald Wade _sotto voce_. "There's no subterfuge about

it. She'd put her head right down on your shoulder if she couldn't see

into your hand any other way."

"I know you try," said Sir Oswald. "It's just that you haven't any card

sense."

"I know, dear," said Lady Coote. "That's what you're always telling me.

And you owe me another ten shillings, Oswald."

"Do I?" Sir Oswald looked surprised.

"Yes. Seventeen hundred--eight pounds ten. You've only given me eight

pounds."

"Dear me," said Sir Oswald. "My mistake."

Lady Coote smiled at him sadly and took up the extra ten-shilling note.

She was very fond of her husband, but she had no intention of allowing

him to cheat her out of ten shillings.

Sir Oswald moved over to a side table and became hospitable with whisky

and soda. It was half-past twelve when general good-nights were said.

Ronny Devereux, who had the room next door to Gerald Wade's, was told

off to report progress. At a quarter to two he crept round tapping at

doors. The party, pyjamaed and dressing-gowned, assembled with various

scuffles and giggles and low whispers.

"His light went out about twenty minutes ago," reported Ronny in a

hoarse whisper. "I thought he'd never put it out. I opened the door

just now and peeped in, and he seems sound off. What about it?"

Once more the clocks were solemnly assembled. Then another difficulty

arose.

"We can't all go barging in. Make no end of a row. One person's got to

do it and the others can hand him the what-nots from the door."

Hot discussion then arose as to the proper person to be selected.

The three girls were rejected on the grounds that they would giggle.

Bill Eversleigh was rejected on the grounds of his height, weight and

heavy tread, also for his general clumsiness, which latter clause he

fiercely denied. Jimmy Thesiger and Ronny Devereux were considered

possibles, but in the end an overwhelming majority decided in favour of

Rupert Bateman.

"Pongo's the lad," agreed Jimmy. "Anyway, he walks like a cat--always

did. And then, if Gerry should waken up, Pongo will be able to think of

some rotten silly thing to say to him. You know, something plausible

that'll calm him down and not rouse his suspicions."

"Something subtle," suggested the girl Socks thoughtfully.

"Exactly," said Jimmy.

Pongo performed his job neatly and efficiently. Cautiously opening the

bedroom door, he disappeared into the darkness inside bearing the two

largest clocks. In a minute or two he reappeared on the threshold

and two more were handed to him and then again twice more. Finally

he emerged. Every one held his breath and listened. The rhythmical

breathing of Gerald Wade could still be heard, but drowned, smothered

and buried beneath the triumphant, impassioned ticking of Mr.

Murgatroyd's eight alarum clocks.