If he believed firmly that to know too much was not good for the department, the judicious holding back of knowledge was as far as his loyalty dared to go for the good of the service.

If the Assistant Commissioner wanted to mismanage this affair nothing, of course, could prevent him.

But, on his own part, he now saw no reason for a display of alacrity.

So he answered concisely: "It's a shop, sir." The Assistant Commissioner, with his eyes lowered on the rag of blue cloth, waited for more information.

As that did not come he proceeded to obtain it by a series of questions propounded with gentle patience.