NIBVCNVW?

You don't see with your eyes, you see with your brain, and while I was thinking about Egerton there was peripheral cerebration going on, trying to read the name on the folder, typed in capitals and upside down from where I was sitting. I gave it my full attention.

MANDARIN

His thin raw hands moved softly, shifting the papers, the hands of a priest performing the last rites.

'No,' he said slowly. 'We could use you there for a day or two, but I don't want to take the risk.' He put the last sheet back into the folder and closed it and pushed it to the end of his desk. 'As soon as the signals come in, you can take the first plane, after all.'

I drew a steady breath. 'What risk?'

'Well, communications, really. I don't care to switch signals. The risk of delay, really.'

I took another slow breath and let a couple of seconds go by, because if you try jumping Egerton he shuts like a clam.

'Be a delay anyway, wouldn't there? What's Hong Kong — twenty-four hours?'

'A little more than that, I rather think.'

He phoned again and put the receiver back and took his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose.

'We'd save that much,' I said.

She came in again and he gave her the file.

'Did you want to see Colonel Fraser, Mr Egerton?'

'Not particularly.'

'He's waiting.'.

'Oh, is he?' He put his glasses on again. 'All right, I'll be along in a moment.'

She went out and I didn't say anything because he might still be thinking over what I'd said, about saving at least twenty-four hours if I went right away.

'It would mean helping us out a little,' he said, looking into the middle distance.

'I wouldn't mind that,' I said.

Like trying to get a bird to eat out of your hand.

'It's just a routine investigation.' A bleak smile. 'Not quite your field.'