sworth."

"You have some settled plan in your mind?" Berrington asked.

"Indeed I have not, sir. I may make no more than a few simple inquiries
and come home again. On the other hand, before morning I may find myself
inside the house. I may even return with the lame gentleman as my
prisoner. It is all in the air."

"By Jove," Berrington cried. "I should like to go with you. As an old
campaigner, and one with some little knowledge of strategy I may be
useful. Anything is better than sitting here doing nothing. Would you
very much mind, Inspector?"

Field regarded the brown, eager, clever face and steadfast eyes of the
questioner shrewdly.

"I shall be delighted, sir," he said heartily, "with one proviso--that
you regard me as your senior officer and commander in this business.
Military strategy is one thing, the hunting of criminals quite a
different thing. I shall start from the Yard before ten o'clock, and
even then I shall not make my way to Wandsworth direct. We are dealing
with an exceedingly clever lot, and it is just possible that I may be
watched. Therefore I shall disguise myself, and you had better do the
same. Then you can meet me at eleven o'clock where you like."

"That's a bargain," Berrington said eagerly. "I'll go over to Wandsworth
pretty early and try to see my police friend, Macklin. At eleven o'clock
I shall be under the trees opposite Audley Place, waiting for you.
Probably I shall assume the disguise of a sailor."

"Um, not a bad idea," Field remarked. "We will both be sailors just paid
off from a ship and with money in our pockets. Sailors, in that
condition who have assimilated a fair amount of liquid refreshment, do
strange things. Oh, we shall be all right. Merchant seamen let us be,
from the ship _Severn_, just home from South America. Good afternoon,
sir."

[Illustration: "The police officer looked suspiciously at the figure."
_Page 107._]

It was nearly ten before Berrington reached the rendezvous. He was
perfectly disguised as a sailor fresh from a tramp steamer, his clothes
were dirty and grimy, and the cap in his hand had a decided naval
cock. So far as he could judge there were no lights visible at No. 100,
opposite. He waited for Macklin to come along, which presently he did.
The police officer looked suspiciously at the figure in a slumbering
attitude on the seat, and passed before him.

"Now, then," he said sharply. "What are you doing here? Come out of
that."

Berringto