would　make　everything　clear。
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  CHAPTER　XIV
  Mr。　Beverley　Qualifies　for　the　Stage
  Bill　had　come　back；　and　had　reported；　rather　breathless；　that　Cayley
  was　still　at　the　pond。
  〃But　I　don't　think　they're　getting　up　much　except　mud；〃　he　said。　〃I
  ran　most　of　the　way　back　so　as　to　give　us　as　much　time　as　possible。〃
  Antony　nodded。
  〃Well；　come　along；　then；〃　he　said。　〃The　sooner；　the　quicker。〃
  They　stood　in　front　of　the　row　of　sermons。　Antony　took　down　the
  Reverend　Theodore　Ussher's　famous　volume；　and　felt　for　the　spring。　Bill
  pulled。　The　shelves　swung　open　towards　them。
  〃By　Jove！〃　said　Bill；　〃it　is　a　narrow　way。
  There　was　an　opening　about　a　yard　square　in　front　of　them；　which　had
  something　the　look　of　a　brick　fireplace；　a　fireplace　raised　about　two　feet
  from　the　ground。　But；　save　for　one　row　of　bricks　in　front；　the　floor　of　it
  was　emptiness。　Antony　took　a　torch　from　his　pocket　and　flashed　it　down
  into　the　blackness。
  〃Look；〃　he　whispered　to　the　eager　Bill。　〃The　steps　begin　down　there。
  Six　feet　down。〃
  He　flashed　his　torch　up　again。　There　was　a　handhold　of　iron；　a　sort　of
  large　iron　staple；　in　the　bricks　in　front　of　them。
  〃You　swing　off　from　there；〃　said　Bill。　〃At　least；　I　suppose　you　do。　I
  wonder　how　Ruth　Norris　liked　doing　it。〃
  〃Cayley　helped　her；　I　should　think。。。。　It's　funny。〃
  〃Shall　I　go　first？〃　asked　Bill；　obviously　longing　to　do　so。　Antony
  shook　his　head　with　a　smile。
  〃I　think　I　will；　if　you　don't　mind　very　much；　Bill。　Just　in　case。
  〃In　case　of　what？〃
  〃Well　in　case。〃
  Bill；　had　to　be　content　with　that；　but　he　was　too　much　excited　to
  wonder　what　Antony　meant。
  〃Righto；〃　he　said。　〃Go　on。〃
  〃Well；　we'll　just　make　sure　we　can　get　back　again；　first。　It　really
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  wouldn't　be　fair　on　the　Inspector　if　we　got　stuck　down　here　for　the　rest　of
  our　lives。　He's　got　enough　to　do　trying　to　find　Mark；　but　if　he　has　to　find
  you　and　me　as　well　…〃
  〃We　can　always　get　out　at　the　other　end。〃
  〃Well；　we're　not　certain　yet。　I　think　I'd　better　just　go　down　and　back。
  I　promise　faithfully　not　to　explore。〃
  〃Right　you　are。〃
  Antony　sat　down　on　the　ledge　of　bricks；　swung　his　feet　over；　and　sat
  there　for　a　moment；　his　legs　dangling。　He　flashed　his　torch　into　the
  darkness　again；　so　as　to　make　sure　where　the　steps　began；　then　returned　it
  to　his　pocket；　seized　the　staple　in　front　of　him　and　swung　himself　down。
  His　feet　touched　the　steps　beneath　him；　and　he　let　go。
  〃Is　it　all　right？〃　said　Bill　anxiously。
  〃All　right。　I'll　just　go　down　to　the　bottom　of　the　steps　and　back。　Stay
  there。〃
  The　light　shone　down　by　his　feet。　His　head　began　to　disappear。　For
  a　little　while　Bill；　craning　down　the　opening；　could　still　see　faint　splashes
  of　light；　and　could　hear　slow　uncertain　footsteps；　for　a　little　longer　he
  could　fancy　that　he　saw　and　heard　them；　then　he　was　alone。。。。
  Well；　not　quite　alone。　There　was　a　sudden　voice　in　the　hall　outside。
  〃Good　Lord！〃　said　Bill；　turning　round　with　a　start；　〃Cayley！〃
  If　he　was　not　so　quick　in　thought　as　Antony；　he　was　quick　enough　in
  action。　Thought　was　not　demanded　now。　To　close　the　secret　door
  safely　but　noiselessly；　to　make　sure　that　the　books　were　in　the　right　places；
  to　move　away　to　another　row　of　shelves　so　as　to　be　discovered　deep　in
  〃Badminton〃　or　〃Baedeker〃　or　whomever　the　kind　gods　should　send　to　his
  aid　the　difficulty　was　not　to　decide　what　to　do；　but　to　do　all　this　in　five
  seconds　rather　than　in　six。
  〃Ah；　there　you　are；〃　said　Cayley　from　the　doorway。
  〃Hallo！〃　said　Bill；　in　surprise；　looking　up　from　the　fourth　volume　of
  〃The　Life　and　Works　of　Samuel　Taylor　Coleridge。　〃Have　they　finished？〃
  〃Finished　what？〃
  〃The　pond；〃　said　Bill；　wondering　why　he　was　reading　Coleridge　on
  such　a　fine　afternoon。　Desperately　he　tried　to　think　of　a　good　reason。。。。
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  verifying　a　quotation　…　an　argument　with　Antony　…　that　would　do。　But
  what　quotation？
  〃Oh；　no。　They're　still　at　it。　Where's　Gillingham？〃
  〃The　Ancient　Mariner〃　…　water；　water；　everywhere　…　or　was　that
  something　else？　And　where　was　Gillingham？　Water；　water　everywhere
  …
  〃Tony？　Oh；　he's　about　somewhere。　We're　just　going　down　to　the
  village。　They　aren't　finding　anything　at　the　pond；　are　they？〃
  〃No。　But　they　like　doing　it。　Something　off　their　minds　when　they
  can　say　they've　done　it。〃
  Bill；　deep　in　his　'book；　looked　up　and　said　〃Yes；〃　and　went　back　to　it
  again。　He　was　just　getting　to　the　place。
  〃What's　the　book？〃　said　Cayley；　coming　up　to　him。　Out　of　the　corner
  of　his　eye　he　glanced　at　the　shelf　of　sermons　as　he　came。　Bill　saw　that
  glance　and　wondered。　Was　there　anything　there　to　give　away　the　secret？
  〃I　was　just　looking　up　a　quotation；〃　he　drawled。　〃Tony　and　I　had　a
  bet　about　it。　You　know　that　thing　about　…　er　water；　water　everywhere；　and
  …er　…　not　a　drop　to　drink。〃　（But　what　on　earth；　he　wondered　to　himself；
  were　they　betting　about？）
  〃'Nor　any　drop　to　drink；'　to　be　accurate。〃
  Bill　looked　at　him　in　surprise。　Then　a　happy　smile　came　on　his　face。
  〃Quite　sure？〃　he　said。
  〃Of　course。〃
  〃Then　you've　saved　me　a　lot　of　trouble。　That's；　what　the　bet　was
  about。〃　He　closed　the　book　with　a　slam；　put　it　back　in　its　shelf；　and
  began　to　feel　for　his　pipe　and　tobacco。　〃I　was　a　fool　to　bet　with　Tony；〃　he
  added。　〃He　always　knows　that　sort　of　thing。〃
  So　far；　so　good。　But　here　was　Cayley　still　in　the　library；　and　there
  was　Antony；　all　unsuspecting；　in　the　passage。　When　Antony　came　back
  he　would　not　be　surprised　to　find　the　door　closed；　because　the　whole
  object　of　his　going　had　been　to　see　if　he　could　open　it　easily　from　the
  inside。　At　any　moment；　then；　the　bookshelf　might　swing　back　and　show
  Antony's　head　in　the　gap。　A　nice　surprise　for　Cayley！
  〃Come　with　us？〃　he　said　casually；　as　he　struck　a　match。　He　pulled
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  vigorously　at　the　flame　as　he　waited　for　the　answer；　hoping　to　hide　his
  anxiety；　for　if　Cayley　assented；　he　was　done。
  〃I've　got　to　go　into　Stanton。〃
  Bill　blew　out　a　great　cloud　of　smoke　with　an　expiration　which　covered
  also　a　heartfelt　sigh　of　relief。
  〃Oh；　a　pity。　You're　driving；　I　suppose？〃
  〃Yes。　The　car　will　be　here　directly。　There's　a　letter　I　must　write
  first。〃　He　sat　down　at　a　writing　table；　and　took　out　a　sheet　of　notepaper。
  He　was　facing　the　secret　door；　if　it　opened　he　would　see　it。　At　any
  moment　now　it　might　open。
  Bill　dropped　into　a　chair　and　thought。　Antony　must　be　warned。
  Obviously。　But　how？　How　did　one　signal　to　anybody？　By　code。
  Morse　code。　Did　Antony　know　it？　Did　Bill　know　it　himself；　if　it　came
  to　that？　He　had　picked　up　a　bit　in　the　Army　not　enough　to　send　a
  message；　of　course。　But　a　message　was　impossible；　anyhow；　Cayley
  would　hear　him　tapping　it　out。　It　wouldn't　do　to　send　more　than　a　single
  letter。　What　letters　did　he　know？　And　what　letter　would　convey
  anything　to　Antony？。。。。　He　pulled　at　his　pipe；　his　eyes　wandering　from
  Cayley　at　his　desk　to　the　Reverend　Theodore　Ussher　in　his　shelf。　What
  letter？
  C　for　Cayley。　Would　Antony　understand？　Probably　not；　but　it　was
  just　worth　trying。　What　was　C？　Long；　short；　long；　short。　Umpty…iddyumpty…iddy。　Was　that　right？　C　yes；　that　was　C。　He　was　sure　of　that。
  C。　Umpty…iddy…umpty…iddy。
  Hands　in　pockets；　he　got　up　and　wandered　across　the　room；　humming
  vaguely　to　himself；　the　picture　of　a　man　waiting　for　another　man　（as　it
  might　be　his　friend　Gillingham）　to　come　in　and　take　him　away　for　a　walk
  or　something。　He　wandered　across　to　the　books　at　the　back　of　Cayley；
  and　began　to　tap　absent…mindedly　on　the　shelves；　as　he　looked　at　the　titles。
  Umpty…iddy…umpty…iddy。　Not　that　it　was　much　like　that　at　first；　he
  couldn't　get　the　rhythm　of　it。。。。　Umpt…y…iddy…umpt…y…iddy。　That　was
  better。　He　was　back　at　Samuel　Taylor　Coleridge　now。　Antony　would
  begin　to　hear　him　soon。　Umpt…y…iddy…umpt…y…iddy；　just　the　aimless
  tapping　of　a　man　who　is　wondering　what　book　he　will　take　out　with　him　to
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  read　on　the　lawn。　Would　Antony　hear？　One　always　heard　the　man　in
  the　next　flat　knocking　out　his　pipe。　Would　Antony　understand？　Umpty…iddy…umpt…y…iddy。　C。　for　Cayley；　Antony。　Cayley's　here。　For　God's
  sake；　wait。
  〃Good　Lord！　Sermons！〃　said　Bill；　with　a　loud　laugh。　（Umpt…y…iddyumpt…y…iddy）　〃Ever　read　'em；　Cayley？〃
  〃What？〃　Cayley　looked　up　suddenly。　Bill's　back　moved　slowly　along；
  his　fingers　beating　a　tattoo　on　the　shelves　as　he　walked。
  〃Er　no；〃　said　Cayley；　with　a　little　laugh。　An　awkward；　uncomfortable
  little　laugh；　it　seemed　to　Bill。
  〃Nor　do　I。〃　He　was　past　the　sermons　now　past　the　secret　door　but
  still　tapping　in　the　same　aimless　way。
  〃Oh；　for　God's　sake　sit　down；〃　burst　out　Cayley。　〃Or　go　outside　if
  you　want　to　walk　about。〃
  Bill　turned　round　in　astonishment。
  〃Hallo；　what's　the　matter？〃
  Cayley　was　slightly　ashamed　of　his　outburst。
  〃Sorry；　Bill；〃　he　apologized。　〃My　nerves　are　on　edge。　Your
  constant　tapping　and　fidgeting　about　…〃
  〃Tapping？〃　said　Bill　with　an　air　of　complete　surprise。
  〃Tapping　on　th