THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS
FAIRLY CERTAIN.
(1) Place where there are several sets of stairs: one that matters distinguished by having thirty-nine steps.
(2) Full tide at 10.17 p.m. Leaving shore only possible at full tide.
(3) Steps not dock-steps and so place probably not harbour.
(4) No regular night steamer at 10.17. Means of transport must be tramp (unlikely), yacht or fishing-boat.
There my reasoning stopped. I made another list, which I headed "Guessed," but I was just as sure of the one as the other.
GUESSED.
(i) Place not harbour but open coast.
(3) Boat small—trawler, yacht or launch.
{3) Place somewhere on east coast between Cromer and Dover.
It Struck me as odd that I should be sittingting at that desk with a Cabinet Minister, Field Marshal, two high Government officials, and a French General watching me, while from the scribble of a dead man I was trying to drag a secret which meant life or death for us.
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