"What's doot, if you won't carry it to the other side of Hell? What's the use of yapping about your country if you're going to keep something back when she calls for it?" -John Buchan, Mr. Standfast Mr. Standfast (1919) by John Buchan is one of several novels featuring the adventures of Major-General Sir Richard Hannay. In this dramatic spy story, General Hannay is called out of retirement to track a dangerous German agent at large in Britain. Other books also available from this series are The Thirty-Nine Steps, Greenmantle, and The Three Hostages.