e!... I must compliment you highly on your
ability and your detective gifts!"

"I wish I could agree with you," replied Fandor in a depressed tone. "In
spite of everything, I have not got into communication with Jules. But,
Monsieur Fuselier, have you interrogated him yet?"

The magistrate shook his head.

"Alas, my poor friend, you have no idea of the extraordinary events of
the past night; evidently, notwithstanding the fact that you played a
passive part in them!"

"I played a part?... Extraordinary events?... What the deuce do you
mean?"

"I mean, dear Fandor, that all Paris is laughing over it. The police
have been tricked! You have been tricked! Did you not tell me, just now,
that your prison van had had an accident? Do you know what really
happened?"

"I ask you to tell me."

"Your vehicle was run into by a motor-car. The driver was extremely
clumsy ... or very capable!"

"What's that?" Fandor leaned forward, keen as a pointer on the scent.

"It was like this," replied Monsieur Fuselier. "Your Salad Basket was
very badly knocked about by the collision. The driver could not possibly
repair it single-handed. He telephoned to Headquarters. Help was sent at
once, and he had orders to drive to the Depot as soon as he could: he
was not to trouble about the boulevard Exelmans station; that, for once,
could be cleared the following morning. Unfortunately the telephone
messages and replies had taken up a certain amount of time. When they
telephoned to the boulevard Exelmans station, from Headquarters, to warn
them not to expect the injured Salad Basket, the Depot man who was
telephoning was extremely surprised to hear that the Salad Basket had
already passed on to the Auteuil station and had taken away the arrested
individuals there, notably this famous Jules!..."

"I never calculated on this!" cried Fandor.

"The truth is, my dear fellow, that Salad Basket of yours was not
knocked out of action by an unlucky accident--the knock-out was
intentional--was carefully planned! It was done to stop your van from
reaching the Auteuil station!... While your Basket was being repaired,
another Basket appeared at the Auteuil clearing station! This, if you
please, had been stolen! It was standing before the Palais de Justice.
Two accomplices took possession of it and drove away. The daring rascals
were suitably disguised, of course! They produced false papers at
Auteuil, got them endorsed, went through the regular forms,