pace."

Our pursuit was not very rapid. Haigh flatly refused to move at
anything beyond a smart walk, saying that he should collapse if he did.
I could have run them down if I had wished, but had no hankering for a
row in the public streets, and so stayed with my shipmate. And
Taltavull we kept with us whether he liked it or not. I do not think,
though, that he was very keen to race on alone. "They cannot get out of
the island, senores," said he, "as no steamer leaves to-day, and they
must understand by this that they cannot escape us. I suspect that they
will go to the Fonda de Mallorca, and await us there to treat for
terms."

So we wound our way down the narrow, busy streets (wherein every fifth
building was put to ecclesiastical uses), and finally landed out into
the head of the Calle de Conquistador, where another surprise awaited
us.

The hotel is in the middle of the hill, and as we arrived in sight of
it we saw our two birds, accompanied by a dark-complexioned chap (whom
I took to be Sadi, Pether's confidential valet), get out of the vehicle
which had brought them so far, into another smarter one, which drove
off at a rapid pace as soon as they were under the tilt.

Taltavull started wringing his hands. "What now? what now?" moaned he.

"The Lord knows," said I. "Where's the nearest hack-stand? Say, quick."

"At the bottom of the street."

"Well, here's a tram going down. Up you jump."

The three of us hung on the tail-board, and rode to the bottom of the
Calle de Conquistador, where we exchanged to the most likely-looking
vehicle we could see.

"You saw that carriage that just rushed by down towards the harbour?"

"_Si, senor_," grinned the driver.

"Then after it like blue hades, and there's a hundred pesetas for you
when we're alongside."

"_Ah, senores, muchos grac----_"

"Drive, you scoundrel; don't talk."

Away we went again, clattering, jolting, rattling, till the teeth of us
were fairly loosened in their steps. Sharp to the right it was, past
the Longa, and on by the tram-lines alongside the old walls; then an
S-turn; and then a sweep round to the left; always with the
tram-lines beside our tires. We were heading out for the white suburb
which is beneath the Bellver Castle, and what harbourage the fugitives
could hope to find in that direction we couldn't for the life of us
imagine. But that was their affair. Our business--or the business we
made for ourselves--was to get within speaki