nd had
no need for his services. It was a pleasure to the boy, that service.
His whole heart was in it. He resented anything that interfered with it
even for an instant; and as at this particular time he was in the very
midst of preparing a small surprise against his master's return, he was
by no means pleased when a sharp whirring sound of a telephone bell
shrilled out from the adjoining room and called him from his labour of
love.

"Oh, blow that thing! A body don't have a minute to call his own since
it's been put in," he blurted out disgustedly, and answered the call.
"'Ullo! Yuss; this is Cap'n Burbage's. Wot? No, he aren't in. Dunno when
he will be. Dunno where he is. But if there's any messidge--I say, who
wants him? Wot? Oh, s'elp me. You, is it, Mr. Narkom? Yuss, it's me,
sir--Dollops. Wot? No, sir. Went out two hours ago. Gone to Kensington
Palace Gardens. Tulips is in full bloom and you couldn't hold him
indoors with a chain at tulip-time, bless his heart. Yuss, sir. Top hat,
white spats--same as the 'Cap'n' always wears, sir."

Narkom, at the other end of the line, called back: "If I miss him, if he
comes in without seeing me, tell him to wait; I'll be round before
three. Good-bye!" then hung up the receiver and turned to the gentleman
who stood by the window on the other side of the private office,
agitatedly twirling the end of his thick grey-threaded moustache with
one hand, while with the other he drummed a nervous tattoo upon the
broad oaken sill. "Not at home, Sir Henry; but, fortunately, I know
where to find him with but little loss of time," he said, and pressed
twice upon an electric button beside his desk. "My motor will be at the
door in a couple of minutes, and with ordinary luck we ought to be able
to pick him up inside of the next half-hour."

Sir Henry--Sir Henry Wilding, Bart., to give him his full name and
title--a handsome, well-set-up man of about forty years of age, well
groomed, and with the upright bearing which comes of military training,
twisted round on his heel at this and gave the superintendent an almost
grateful look.

"I hope so--God knows I hope so, Mr. Narkom," he said agitatedly. "Time
is the one important thing at present. The suspense and uncertainty are
getting on my nerves so horribly that the very minutes seem endless.
Remember, there are only three days before the race, and if those
rascals, whoever they are, get at Black Riot before then, God help
me--that's all!