half-heartbroken, from two or three men. The War Minister dispassionately picked out a sheet in cypher from the litter of paper before him.
"In response to the War Office inquiry of this morning, the officer in charge of the section wires from Aldershot: 'Dirigibles Nos. 3 and 4 temporarily useless as a result of the malicious damage effected on the night of the 11th inst., as already reported. Nos. 6 and 7 still under construction; delayed beyond anticipated date owing to 6-inch counterbalance carrier shafts having been made and delivered instead of 7-inch as ordered. No. 5 available'"
"The vessel popularly known as Quo Vadis the Vth?" inquired a colleague smoothly.
"I have no knowledge of the name," replied the War Minister, with unruffled composure. "'No. 5 available, but during the continuance of S.E. gale registered as fifty-two miles by the anemometer, and reported by the South Foreland station as prevalent for the next forty-eight hours, impossible even to meet enemy’s air-fleet from this point. Have been requested to allow transport of No. 5 by motor-wagons to Maidstone, and after the passage of enemy's fleet to make ascent by night on the chance of involving at least one of the enemy in mutual destruction.'"
There were a few cries of "Hear, hear!" from the least depressed members of the Cabinet. Sir William Mollineux raised a hand deprecatingly.
"We all recognise the devotion of such an offer," he said quietly, "but unless we are prepared with a definite and continuous plan of resistance, it would be not only useless, but nationally suicidal."
"And the War Office has no plan to put before us?" demanded the earl.
"In the exceptional circumstances, none."
