ded to fasten his ankles in a
like manner. This done, he seemed to feel that he had done all that
was required of him, and he returned to the packing of a large suitcase
which stood by the window.

"I say!" said Archie.

Mr. Moon, with the air of a man who has remembered something which
he had overlooked, shoved a sock in his guest's mouth and resumed his
packing. He was what might be called an impressionist packer. His aim
appeared to be speed rather than neatness. He bundled his belongings in,
closed the bag with some difficulty, and, stepping to the window, opened
it. Then he climbed out on to the fire-escape, dragged the suit-case
after him, and was gone.

Archie, left alone, addressed himself to the task of freeing his
prisoned limbs. The job proved much easier than he had expected. Mr.
Moon, that hustler, had wrought for the moment, not for all time. A
practical man, he had been content to keep his visitor shackled merely
for such a period as would permit him to make his escape unhindered. In
less than ten minutes Archie, after a good deal of snake-like writhing,
was pleased to discover that the thingummy attached to his wrists had
loosened sufficiently to enable him to use his hands. He untied himself
and got up.

He now began to tell himself that out of evil cometh good. His encounter
with the elusive Mr. Moon had not been an agreeable one, but it had
had this solid advantage, that it had left him right in the middle of
a great many clothes. And Mr. Moon, whatever his moral defects, had the
one excellent quality of taking about the same size as himself. Archie,
casting a covetous eye upon a tweed suit which lay on the bed, was on
the point of climbing into the trousers when on the outer door of the
studio there sounded a forceful knocking.

"Open up here!"

CHAPTER VI. THE BOMB

Archie bounded silently out into the other room and stood listening
tensely. He was not a naturally querulous man, but he did feel at this
point that Fate was picking on him with a somewhat undue severity.

"In th' name av th' Law!"

There are times when the best of us lose our heads. At this juncture
Archie should undoubtedly have gone to the door, opened it, explained
his presence in a few well-chosen words, and generally have passed the
whole thing off with ready tact. But the thought of confronting a posse
of police in his present costume caused him to look earnestly about him
for a hiding-place.

Up against the