Ackroyd went on. ' The official naval party-'

The admiral broke in sharply. ' What about the Dm?'

' The Director of Naval Intelligence, sir? No invitation was sent..

The C-in-C smiled apologetically. ' Not the current DNI. No, the Old-Man himself-just retired-'

I felt a thrill go through me. How often had Peace spoken of him, although I had never met that legendary figure of

British Naval Intelligence! I said off-handedly, ' There's no call for the DNI to come all the way from England for this circus'

The C-in-C's glance contained something I did not understand. ' He does not have to come from England-he lives here-in the Seychelles.'

He watched me closely, too closely. First, the CIA man 18 and now the head of British Naval Intelligence himself, when I had thought him to be living in a country cottage in England,' or sailing a yacht at Cowes. Stranger still that. Peace had not mentioned him in the week we had been together; he must have known he was in the Seychelles. Where did Peace's secret come in? I was in deep waters.

' Didn't you know?' asked the C-in-C. ' He's living here at Mahe-retired and came straight to the Seychelles. He'll be aboard Loch Vennachar for the funeral. You can renew acquaintance.'

' I never met him,' I replied.

` Strange,' he murmured, watching me still. The tenseness seemed to go out of him with my last remark, however. Mac and I would have to find out more from our faceless stranger, even if Mac had to rough him up a little in the process. The odd coffin began to look odder still as my suspicions mounted. Ackroyd cleared his throat and broke the tight silence. At least the funeral arrangements were neutral ground.

` The committal service will be conducted by the Reverend

Miles Sands, Fleet Chaplain. The customary salute will take the form of a salvo fired from the main armament of Loch Vennachar..