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The Governor cleared his throat He recognized that Bond wasn't one of the servile ones "You wanted to see me?"

"Just to make ways case I think you had a signal front the Secretary of State" This was a reminder that the people behind Bond were powerful people Bond didn't like attempts to squash hinal And what can I do for you? So far as we're concerned here the case is closed"

"In ay 'closed', sir?"

The Governor said roughly, "Strangways obviously did a bunk with the girl Unbalanced sort of fellow at the best of tiues don't seem to be able to leave women alone" The Governor clearly included Bond "Had to bail the chap out of various scandals before now Doesn't do the Colony any good, Mr-er-Bond Hope your people will be sending us a rather better type of ional Control man is really needed here Personally I have every confidence in our police"

Bond smiled sympathetically "I'll report your views, sir I expect my Chief will like to discuss them with the Minister of Defence and the Secretary of State Naturally, if you would like to-take over these extra duties it will be a saving in manpower so far as my Service is concerned I'm sure the Jamaican Constabulary is most efficient"

The Governor looked at Bond suspiciously Perhaps he had better handle this man a bit more carefully "This is an in-formal discussion, Mr Bond When I have decided on my vieill communicate them myself to the Secretary of State In the meantime, is there anyone you wish to see on my staff?"

"I'd like to have a ith the Colonial Secretary, sir"

"Really? And why, pray?"

"There's been so about a bird sanctuary The case was passed to us by the Colonial Office My Chief asked me to look into it while I'm here"

The Governor looked relieved "Certainly, certainly I'll see that Mr Pleydell-Sht away So you feel we can leave the Strangways case to sort itself out? They'll turn up before long, never fear" He reached over and rang a bell The ADC caentleman would like to see the Colonial Secretary, ADC Take hi, would you? I'll call Mr Pleydell-Sot up and came round the desk He held out his hand "Goodbye, then Mr Bond And I'lad we see eye to eye Crab Key, eh? Never been there myself, but I'm sure it would repay a visit"

Bond shook hands "That hat I was thinking Goodbye, sir"

"Goodbye, goodbye" The Governor watched Bond's back retreating out of the door and hi whippersnapper," he said to the empty room He sat down and said a few peremptory words down the telephone to the Colonial Secretary Then he picked up the Tie prices

The Colonial Secretary was a youngish shaggy-haired ht, boyish eyes He was one of those nervous pipe s their pockets forthe box to see howthe dottle out of their pipes After he had gone through this routine two or three times in his first ten ot any setically at Bond's hand and waving vaguely at a chair, Pleydell-S his tes a bell Now let me see Yes, by jove! You werejthe chap as mixed up in that treasure business here By jove, yes! Four, five years ago Found the file lying around only the other day Splendid show What a lark! I say, wish you'd start another bonfire like that here Stir the place up a bit All they think of nowadays is Federation and their bloody self-importance Self-determination indeed! They can't even run a bus service And the colour problem! My dear chap, there's far ht-haired and the crinkly-haired Jamaicans than there is between me and my black cook However-"Pleydell-Smith came to rest beside his desk He sat down opposite Bond and draped one leg over the ar for a tobacco jar with the ar into it and started filling his pipe-"I o ahead and bore me What's your proble than this muck," he waved at the pile of papers in his In tray

Bond grinned at him This was ent one at that "Well," he said seriously, "I'ways case But first of all I want to ask you a question thatat that other case ofabout Hoas that? Had someone asked for it? I don't want to be indiscreet, so don't answer if you don't want to I'm just inquisitive"

Pleydell-Smith cocked an eye at hi at the ceiling "Well, now I come to think of it I saw it onto get up to date with the files Mark you," the Colonial Secretary hastened to exonerate his girl, "there were plenty of other files on her desk It was just this one that caught my eye"

"Oh, I see," said Bond "It was like that" He setically "Sorry, but various people see here What I really wanted to talk to you about was Crab Key Anything you know about the place And about this China you can tell uano business Rather a tall order, I'm afraid, but any scraps will help"

Pleydell-Sh the stem of his pipe He jerked the pipe out of histobacco with his uano Talk to you for hours about it Started in the Consular before I transferred to the Colonial Office First job was in Peru Had a lot to do with their people who administer the whole trade-Cooing now and Pleydell-Smith threw his matchbox down on the table "As for the rest, it's just a question of getting the file" He rang a bell In a minute the door opened behind Bond "Miss Taro, the file on Crab Key, please The one on the sale of the place and the other one on that warden felloho turned up before Christfelloill knohere to find them"