is _is_ a stroke of good luck and
no mistake! Who and what is this enterprising individual upon my back? I
can't see his interesting face, for he pounced upon me in the dark; but
if I had known that his yells and cries were likely to bring _you_ upon
the scene, I certainly shouldn't have gone to the length of struggling
and getting my clothes in this awful mess."

Cleek made a mental tally of that remark, and set alongside of it the
circumstance that Dollops, when he first called out, had most distinctly
mentioned Mr. Narkom by name. He said nothing, however; merely removed
the pressure of his thumb from the controlling button of his torch,
slipped that useful article into his pocket, and busied himself with
picking up Dollops's effects from the ground.

"Here you, whoever you are! You keep your blessed thievin' irons off
them things!" snapped Dollops, with a wink at the superintendent. "I
say, Mr. Narkom, sir, don't let that josser go carryin' off my
drorin's--them's for my gov'ner, _you_ know that. And, sir," he went on
earnestly, "don't you be took in by none of the gammon of this 'ere
person. Actin' suspicious and creepin' along in the dark he was when I
'opped up and copped him, sir, and no matter if he _is_ a party as
you're acquainted with, sir----"

"He is," interrupted the superintendent curtly, not, however, without
some slight show of agitation at finding this particular young man in
the neighbourhood at this particular time. "The gentleman is Mr.
Geoffrey Clavering, my friend Sir Philip Clavering's son and heir."

"Well, sir, I can't 'elp that," began Dollops, but his words were
interrupted by the captive himself.

"I shouldn't have blamed you if you had failed to recognize me from the
state I'm in through the mistaken ardour of this enterprising youth, Mr.
Narkom," he said. "He appears not to have left one inch of my person
unmarked with his hands; and if you would oblige me by requesting him to
detach himself from me as expeditiously as possible, I shall be
unspeakably obliged."

"Certainly, Geoff. Dollops, let the gentleman go."

"But, sir-- Mr. Narkom----"

"Stand back, I tell you!"

"But upon my sacred word of honour, sir----"

"You have heard what I said, haven't you? That's enough," interrupted
Narkom, sharply.

Dollops gave a swift glance at Monsieur Georges de Lesparre's face, then
sullenly relinquished his hold on his prisoner, and with a knowing wink
over his shoulder, busied himself