IV
Roll call was in the big lecture room. Everyone was present and answeredto his or her name. Then they were marshalled into a long column andmarched off.
The route was, as usual, through a maze¹ of winding² corridors. Hilary,walking by Peters, knew that he had, concealed³ in his hand, a tiny com-pass. From this, unobtrusively, he was calculating their direction.
“Not that it helps,” he observed ruefully in a low tone. “Or at any rate itdoesn’t help at the moment. But it may do—some time.”
At the end of the corridor they were following was a door and there wasa momentary⁴ halt as the door was opened.
Peters took out his cigarette case—but immediately Van Heidem’s voicewas raised peremptorily⁵.
“No smoking, please. That has already been told you.”
“Sorry, sir.”
Peters paused with the cigarette case in his hand. Then they all went for-ward⁶ again.
“Just like sheep,” said Hilary disgustedly.
“Cheer up,” Peters murmured. “Baa, baa, black sheep is among the flock,thinking up devilry hard.”
She flashed him a grateful glance and smiled.
“Women’s dormitory to the right,” said Miss Jennson.
She shepherded the women off in the direction indicated.
The men were marched to the left.
The dormitory was a large room of hygienic appearance rather like ahospital ward. It had beds along the walls with curtains of plastic materialthat could be pulled for privacy. There was a locker⁷ by each bed.
“You will find arrangements rather simple,” said Miss Jennson, “but nottoo primitive⁸. The bathroom accommodation is through there to the right.
The

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