lly his
intelligence. We in France know something of the breed. There is
still a chance, MES AMIS. These men must cross the sea, and there are
ships to be searched and ports to be watched. Believe me, the need is
desperate for both France and Britain.'

Royer's grave good sense seemed to pull us together. He was the man of
action among fumblers. But I saw no hope in any face, and I felt none.
Where among the fifty millions of these islands and within a dozen
hours were we to lay hands on the three cleverest rogues in Europe?

Then suddenly I had an inspiration.

'Where is Scudder's book?' I cried to Sir Walter. 'Quick, man, I
remember something in it.'

He unlocked the door of a bureau and gave it to me.

I found the place. THIRTY-NINE STEPS, I read, and again, THIRTY-NINE
STEPS--I COUNTED THEM--HIGH TIDE 10.17 P.M.

The Admiralty man was looking at me as if he thought I had gone mad.

'Don't you see it's a clue,' I shouted. 'Scudder knew where these
fellows laired--he knew where they were going to leave the country,
though he kept the name to himself. Tomorrow was the day, and it was
some place where high tide was at 10.17.'

'They may have gone tonight,' someone said.

'Not they. They have their own snug secret way, and they won't be
hurried. I know Germans, and they are mad about working to a plan.
Where the devil can I get a book of Tide Tables?'

Whittaker brightened up. 'It's a chance,' he said. 'Let's go over to
the Admiralty.'

We got into two of the waiting motor-cars--all but Sir Walter, who went
off to Scotland Yard--to 'mobilize MacGillivray', so he said. We
marched through empty corridors and big bare chambers where the
charwomen were busy, till we reached a little room lined with books and
maps. A resident clerk was unearthed, who presently fetched from the
library the Admiralty Tide Tables. I sat at the desk and the others
stood round, for somehow or other I had got charge of this expedition.

It was no good. There were hundreds of entries, and so far as I could
see 10.17 might cover fifty places. We had to find some way of
narrowing the possibilities.

I took my head in my hands and thought. There must be some way of
reading this riddle. What did Scudder mean by steps? I thought of
dock steps, but if he had meant that I didn't think he would have
mentioned the number. It must be some place where there were several
staircases, and one marked out from the others by ha