Village Life!

    No.6 makes his way down to the quayside and along to the stone boat. He’s carrying a large white envelope, he goes into the stone boat, and emerges a few moments later without the envelope. No.2 and No.14 have been keeping No.6 under close surveillance, and allowing him to go his own way the two men enter the stone boat and it takes No.2 only a moment to discover the hidden envelope.
    “It’s a dead drop, used in espionage tradecraft!”
    “I know what a dead drop is!”
    “Shouldn’t we leave it where it is?”
    “Why?”
    “Well someone is bound to come along and collect it. We can keep watch and catch whoever it is in the act!”

    “When I want your suggestions I’ll ask for them! Besides I want to know what’s in it.”

     “That will be all Fourteen.”

   “I’ve been thinking sir.”
    “Really!”

    “Number Six left that envelope in a dead drop for someone to come along and collect it, thus passing on information to someone else.”
    “I know that! I want to know what Number Six was about to pass on.”

    “It’s you isn’t it sir?”
    “Me?”
    “Number Six left that envelope in the stone boat for someone to come and collect. You were the next person in the stone boat, you collected the envelope, and there it is in your hand!”
    “You must be mad!”
    “I’m a witness!”
    “And I’m Number Two, now buzz off!”
    “You wait until X O Four gets to hear about this!”

    “X O Four…..oh very well.”
    “Number 2 opens the envelope.
    “What this?”
    “Blank sheets of paper sir.”
    “I can see that! Why should Number Six hide blank sheets of paper in the stone boat?”
    “Perhaps they rubbed off in the envelope!”
    “What?”

    “Perhaps they rubbed off in the envelope!”

    “Don’t be ridiculous! I don’t believe it.”
    “What is it sir?”
    “See what you can make of these words Fourteen.”
    The envelope is tipped upside down, and a jumble of words fall out onto the desk!

Be seeing you