at eight of the twelve men manning
your son's boat including two officers--are under my orders. If any
obstacle be placed in my way by you a wireless message will carry
instructions, though I myself lie in detention, or dead, that the
_Savannah_ be laid upon a certain course. That course, Mr.
Macready, will not bring her into any port known to the Board of
Trade. Shall I nominate the crew? Or are your doubts dispersed?"

The insight thus afforded them to the far-reaching influence, the
all-pervading power, of this arch-brigand whose presence in our
midst is a disgrace to the police of the world, was sufficient to
determine them upon a passive attitude. A gentleman who seemed very
nervous then appeared, and skilfully disguised all six. Mr.
Rohscheimer mentioned later to Mr. Murray that in this man he had
recognised, beyond any shadow of doubt, a perruquier whose name is
a household word. But this doubtless was but another clever trick
of the master trickster.

In three parties of two, each accompanied by an Arab dressed in
European clothes, but wearing a tarboosh, they left the hotel.
Disguised beyond recognition, they were conducted to a roomy car of
the "family" pattern, which was in waiting; the blinds were drawn
down, and they were driven away.

At the end of a rapid drive of about an hour's duration, Messrs.
Murray and Macready were requested by one of the three accompanying
Arabs to alight, and were informed that Severac Bablon desired to
tender his sincere apologies for the inconvenience to which,
unavoidably, he had put them, and for the evils with which--though
only in the "most sacred interests"--he had been compelled to
threaten them. They were absolved from all obligations and at
liberty now to take what steps they thought fit. With which they
were set down in a lonely spot, and the car was driven away. As our
readers are already well aware, this lonely spot was upon
Wandsworth Common.

It is almost impossible to credit the fact that six influential men
of world-wide reputation could thus, publicly, be kidnapped from a
London hotel. But in this connection two things must be remembered.
Firstly, for reasons readily to be understood and appreciated, they
offered no resistance; secondly, the presence of so many Orientals
in th