"Oh, jolly fine!" said the Beadle. He turned his man over as though he
were a bale of goods. Now he tied his victim's hands behind his back.

"Is it far to go to the jaunting car?"

"No--for two sous, that's it!"

A motor-car was indeed coming slowly and noiselessly along rue Raffet:
it was a sumptuous car!

"And if it is not he?"

"Stick him up against the bank ... dark as it is, there's every chance
he won't be seen."

Rapidly, the doughty two stuck Jules against the bank at the side of the
road: the unfortunate creature had fainted. Then they took out their
cigarettes, and going a few steps away, they pretended to be sheltering
themselves in order to strike a light.

They need not have taken this precaution.

The car stopped in front of them. The familiar voice of Mimile was
heard:

"Got the rabbit then?"

"Yes, old 'un!"

"Pitch it into the balloon then!"

"The balloon?" questioned the Beadle. "Whatever's that?"

Emilet laughed.

"At times, my brothers, your ignorance, mechanically speaking, is
crass!... The balloon is the back part of my car, I'd have you know."

The Beard sniggered.

"Good!... Pick it up! Now, Beadle!"

The two seized the body of Jules by shoulders and feet, and flung it
brutally into the limousine.

A rug, negligently flung over the body of the trussed Jules, hid him
from observation.

"Now we'll embark," announced Emilet.

As a precaution, the young hooligan asked:

"The bloke snores?"

"Yes," replied the Beadle. "He is travelling in No Nightmare Land...."
The Beadle laughed.

But Emilet was alarmed.

"You haven't snuffed him out, have you?"

"No danger of it! He's only shamming!"

"Off, then!" said Emilet.

They rolled away at top speed.

* * * * *

The bandits' lair had been well chosen by their chiefs. It was a vast
cellar, with a vaulted roof, and earthen walls bedewed with an icy
humidity. Axes, mattocks, shovels, rakes, and watering cans lay
scattered on the ground: these were worn out tools: they had not served
their purpose for many a day.

The lantern, a kind of cresset protected by a wire globe, was suspended
from the roof by a string. It shed a faint and wavering light, creating
weird shadows in that far-stretching space, too vast for the
insufficient illumination.

Directly beneath the cresset lantern, inside the circle of light it
threw upon the ground, a fantastic group of human creatures pressed
close to