"Thank you," he said simply. "Hello! here's Mr. Narkom. Yes, let's have
a look at the blighter, men, before you carry him off to the lock-up.
I'm interested to know what he looks like beneath that mask of his. Just
to get a line on his features, you know."

Speaking, he went up to the group of constables and, flashing out his
torch, sent its spotlight upon the man's scowling face.

And it was just as he did this that Dollops let out a yell of amazement,
and stared at him--mouth open, eyes wide.

"Gawblimey! and pink sossidges!" he exclaimed, whirling round upon Cleek
in astonishment, "if this 'ere ain't the giddy limit! Why, that's ole
Dirty Dick the Dago 'isself!"

"And this," said Cleek, as he glanced down at the crumpled bit of
parchment which he still held, and smiled into Mr. Narkom's serious
face, "is the missing will, or I'm a Dutchman! Quite a little bit of
excitement for one night's entertainment, I must say! Who says anything
about killing two birds with one stone? Men, I'm coming along with you
to the lock-up. It's a bit late in the evening, or early in the morning,
to be more literal, but I'm going to have a conversation with your
prisoner which is going to elucidate many things for me. Mr. Narkom, I
should advise you to go back to bed and take a rest. To-morrow is likely
to be a heavy day."

Then, smiling, but still a trifle pale, Cleek swung into step with
Dollops behind the little cavalcade which was wending its way slowly
through the great gateway and out upon the road beyond--toward the goal
of many imaginings and the proper elucidation of the riddle at last.

CHAPTER XXVI

THE END IN SIGHT

Cleek spent an hour in the "lock-up" with the man they had captured, and
had what he scathingly called a proper heart-to-heart talk with him,
coming away with the contemptuous feeling in his heart which all clean
men must find there upon discovering a fellow creature who, to save his
own skin if possible, is willing to split upon a pal.

He wended his way toward the Inn of the Three Fishers, with Dollops
beside him, head downward, every faculty concentrated upon the proper
unravelling of the riddle that confronted him. If two and two made four,
then he had the answer pretty well elucidated at last. One had to fill
in the gaps with a bit of imagination, but--he patted the pocket where
the missing will lay, lying close against that packet of love-letters
that he had found in Sir Andrews's desk. Funny