human
Phew! They are a nasty-looking pair, aren't they! he breathed.
gpt
But maybe they're house detectives, or something. I've always read in your American detective books that hotel detectives are generally horrible-looking creatures.
human
Say, maybe you've got something there, pal! Dave said with a laugh.
gpt
Eh? the English youth echoed.
human
What have they been doing?
gpt
Counting the knives and forks and spoons, as the waiter put them in front of you! Dave shot at him.
human
I bet you a buck they search you before you leave.
gpt
Well, they'd certainly--! Freddy gasped before he caught himself.
human
Blast your ears, Dave! You made me fall right into that one. Right you are! My turn will come, my good fellow. Seriously speaking, though, have they really been giving us more than usual notice?
gpt
I'd call it that, Dave said with a shrug.
human
But maybe my imagination's going a little bit haywire tonight. No, not that, exactly. I mean, waiting for orders makes me think all kinds of things. Darn it all, the picture just isn't complete, if you get what I mean.
gpt
I'm afraid I don't, old chap, he said.
human
Something bothering you that I don't know anything about?
gpt
Nope, Dawson said.
human
Nothing that you don't know about. It's the set-up we're in now. Five weeks ago we volunteered to take the Commando training course. Colonel Welsh, Chief of all U. S. Intelligence, thought it would be a good idea if we took it. So we did. So we completed training yesterday. So we came down here to New York on leave until orders should arrive. But we had to say where we'd be stopping. Okay. So far, so good. But how long do we stay here? What happens next? What orders are we going to receive? And when? And how will they come to us? See what I mean? It's all hanging in the air. Nothing definite. Heck! We might be at a movie when a phone call came through from Colonel Welsh or somebody, and we wouldn't be here. I mean, it strikes me that we should have been told to report to somebody every day to see if our orders were ready. But--
gpt
You're quite right, Dave, he murmured, and frowned.
human
It does seem a bit queer, when you come to think of it. I--Good grief! Do you suppose, Dave?
gpt
Do I suppose what?