"He ought to be behind the bars," growled Simmonds. "The cleverer he
is, the more dangerous he is."

"Well," retorted Godfrey, "I admire him, anyway; and he isn't behind
the bars yet. No doubt you'll find some of his shells to-morrow about
the house somewhere, and you might amuse yourself by shooting one off
every night at midnight, on the chance that he sees it and comes back
to see who's stealing his thunder!"

But this brilliant suggestion didn't seem to appeal to Simmonds, who
merely grunted and continued his examination of the catapult.

"Silva had loaded it for to-night's performance," Godfrey went on,
"but, as I remarked before, the leading lady failed to answer her cue,
and it remained for us to touch it off. There it is, Simmonds; I turn
it over to you. It and the glove will make unique additions to the
museum at headquarters. And now," he added, with the wide yawn of
sudden relaxation, "you fellows can make a night of it, if you want
to, but I'm going to bed."

I glanced at my watch. It was half-past four. Another dawn was
brightening along the east.

Hinman ran upstairs, took a look at his patient, and came down to tell
us that she was sleeping calmly.

"She'll be all right in the morning," he assured us; "and while I
don't want to butt in, I'd certainly like to hear her story.
Adventures like this don't happen very often to a country doctor! May
I come?"

"Most surely!" I assented warmly. "I think we were very fortunate to
have had you in this case, doctor."

"So do I!" echoed Godfrey, while Hinman flushed with pleasure. "And
don't forget, Lester, that it was I who picked him out, with nothing
better than the telephone-book to guide me! That was my infallible
instinct!"

"Suppose we say ten o'clock, then?" I suggested, smiling at Godfrey's
exuberance--but then, I was feeling rather exuberant myself!

"I'll be here!" said Hinman. "And thank you," and a moment later we
heard his car chugging away down the drive.

We listened to it for a moment, then Godfrey yawned again.

"Come along, Lester," he said, "or I'll go to sleep on my feet. Can I
give you a bed, Simmonds?"

"No, thanks," said Simmonds. "I'm not ready for bed. I'm going to comb
this whole neighbourhood, as soon as it's light. Silva can't
escape--unless he just fades away into the air."

"You've found no trace of him?"

"I've had no reports yet," and Simmonds walked beside us down the
drive to the gate; "but my men ought to be