'What d'you want to say to the bloke with the long name ?' 'Say that Richard Hannay is detained at the A.P.M.'s office in Claxton Street.

Say he's got important news--say urgent and secret news--and ask Mr Macgillivray to do something about it at once.' 'But 'Annay ain't the name you gave.' 'Lord bless you, no.

Did you never hear of a man borrowin' another name?
Anyhow that's the one I want you to give.' 'But if this Mac man comes round 'ere, they'll know 'e's bin rung up, and I'll 'ave the old man down on me.' It took ten minutes and a second pound note to get him past this hurdle.

By and by he screwed up courage and rang up the number.

I listened with some nervousness while he gave my message--he had to repeat it twice--and waited eagerly on the next words.
'No, sir,' I heard him say, ''e don't want you to come round 'ere.