is boot, and proceeded to stuff tobacco into the bowl.

"If it hadn't been for those advertisements----" began John Dene, then
he paused.

"The first hole dug in Mr. Naylor's back-garden would have been
filled-in again," said Sage quietly.

"But how did they manage Jim after he'd got into that taxi?"

"The driver released a multiple curtain that fell over his head. As it
dropped chloroform was sprayed over it. Quite a simple automatic
contrivance."

There was a look in John Dene's eyes that would have been instructive
to Mr. Naylor could he have seen it.

"They took him right out into the country," continued Sage, "then
brought him to and doped him. He was taken to 'The Cedars' between one
and two the next morning. That was where we picked up the scent
again," he added.

As Sage ceased speaking, Colonel Walton offered his cigar-case to John
Dene, who, taking a cigar proceeded to light it.

"By the way, Mr. Dene," said Sage casually, "do you remember some one
treading on your toe at King's Cross the night you were going north.
You were quite annoyed about it."

John Dene nodded and looked across at Sage, as if expecting something
further.

"That was one of our men."

"But----"

"I told him to tread on your toe," proceeded Malcolm Sage, "so that you
might remember that Department Z. was not quite so----"

"Now it gets me," cried John Dene. "It was you who trod on my foot at
the theatre."

"At 'Chu Chin Chow,'" said Malcolm Sage, smiling.

"Seems to be a sort of stunt of yours," said John Dene as he rose.

"Going, Mr. Dene?" enquired Colonel Walton.

"Yep!" he said, as he shook hands with each in turn, then with an air
of conviction added: "I take it all back. You'd do well in T'ronto:"
and with a nod he went out.

"I wonder if that's a testimonial to us, or a reflection upon Toronto,"
murmured Malcolm Sage, as he polished his nails with a silk
handkerchief.

"What I like about colonials," remarked Colonel Walton drily, "is their
uncompromising directness."

Whilst John Dene was removing, from the list of things that required
gingering-up, Department Z. and its two chiefs, Mr. Llewellyn John was
engaged in reading Commander Ryles's report upon the operations of the
_Destroyer_. It proved to be one of the most remarkable documents of
the war. First it described how the _Destroyer_ had hung about the
Danish coast, but had been greatly embarrassed by the density of the
water, owing to the s