`How much does Franca want for that gun?'

`Five-ten; but I think he'd take my single barrel off it.

Anyway, I can squeeze a couple of quid out of Phil Lambert

for the single barrel.' (Phil was his bosom chum.)

`All right,' I said. `Make the best bargain you can.'

He got his own breakfast and made an early start next morning,

to get clear of any instructions or messages that Mary might have forgotten

to give him overnight. He took his gun with him.