The Watercress File: Being the Further Adventures of That Man from C. A. M. P. by V. J. Banis Page A

diverting a boy’s interest from males to themselves. In this case, however, she was wasting her time. Jackie had been normal far too long to become interested in the opposite sex now. He left a message for Craig, which he doubted would be delivered, and prepared to leave.
    â€œIf you happen to be watching television this afternoon, you’ll see Craig, and me also,” Miss Temple offered as Jackie reached the door.
    He paused briefly. “Not a quiz show, I hope.”
    Miss Temple laughed, a terribly phony sound. “Oh no, just an appearance by our boss. I’ll be with him at the luncheon. I’m afraid Craig will be harder to spot, since he’ll be mingling unostentatiously in the crowd, but if you look you should be able to spot him.”
    Jackie thanked her and left.
    * * * *
    He arrived back at Aunt Lily’s house to find that her day had been no more productive than his. She had attempted to call both the U.S. State Department, and the Russian Embassy, with absolutely no success at either address.
    â€œThey wouldn’t even talk to me,” Aunt Lily snorted angrily. “Not even when I explained that we were spies, and looking for work. I even asked at the Russian Embassy if we couldn’t buy some little piece of information, just to get ourselves started.”
    Jackie smiled and offered her consolation. Finally he made his way upstairs to Honey’s room. Enjoyable though his visit was, he knew that he would soon have to be returning to Los Angeles. Rich had kindly not contacted him with any assignments, but he knew that merely meant his partner was burdening himself with extra work. He would have liked to become better acquainted with Craig, of course, but that seemed an unlikely possibility. In the long run, it would probably be wiser if he began his packing and made ready to depart.
    His efforts were interrupted, however, by Aunt Nasturtia’s appearance in the room. She burst in without knocking, a fact in itself unusual.
    â€œYou’ve got to come down and look at the television,” she sputtered, tugging at his arm wildly. “Come quickly, oh, please.”
    â€œThe television?” Jackie was bewildered by her actions, but he allowed himself to be piloted down the stairs toward the den, where the older model television set was kept, hidden from the sight of guests.
    As he entered the room and saw the luncheon scene on view, he remembered Miss Temple’s remarks at the C.I.A. offices earlier.
    â€œOh, yes,” he said aloud, a little annoyed that Aunt Nasturtia should have made such a big thing out of Craig’s appearance on television. “Craig is on this afternoon.”
    â€œNo, not him,” Aunt Nasturtia was saying, pointing hysterically at the screen. Aunt Lily was there too, and she seemed every bit as excited. “The woman!”
    â€œThe woman?” The only woman on the screen at the moment was Miss Temple herself, seated dutifully at the side of her boss.
    â€œThat’s her,” Aunt Nasturtia explained in an excited voice. “That’s the woman with the other white poodle!”
    Jackie suddenly understood the reason for all the excitement. “You mean the one at the poodle parlor, the one whose dog they got mixed up with Fritz?”
    â€œThat’s her, I’m positive.”
    Jackie stared dumfounded at Miss Temple’s bland face on the screen. If Aunt Nasturtia was correct in her identification...and if the note they had intercepted had really been intended for the other white poodle...then Miss Temple was an agent for Butterfly! It was incredible, the secretary to the chief of the C.I.A.—and yet, it was possible.
    â€œWhew,” he gasped, seating himself. “This could be something really big. I have a feeling I’d better get in touch with Craig, and right away.”
    â€œJackie, dear.” It was Aunt Lily who delayed him, tugging at his sleeve gently but firmly.