“It’s all right,” he said. “I’ve made them understand the trouble. They’re bringing a ladder. I wonder what the time is? It must be about four in the morning.”

Master Bean produced a Waterbury watch.

“The time, sir, is almost exactly half-past ten.”

“Half-past ten! We must have been here longer than three hours. Your watch is wrong.”

“No, sir, I am very careful to keep it exactly right. I do not wish to run any risk of being unpunctual.”

“Half-past ten!” cried Mr. Ferguson. “Why, we’re in heaps of time to look in at the Savoy for supper. This is great. I’ll ’phone them to keep a table.”

“Supper! I thought—”

She stopped.

“What’s that? Thought what?”

“Hadn’t you an engagement for supper?”

He stared at her.

“Whatever gave you that idea? Of course not.”

“I thought you were taking Miss Templeton—”

“Miss Temp—Oh!” His face cleared. “Oh, there isn’t such a person. I invented her. I had to when you accused me of being like our friend the Miasma. Legitimate self-defence.”

“I do not wish to interrupt you, sir, when you are busy,” said Master Bean, “but—”

“Come and see me to-morrow morning,” said Mr. Ferguson.

“Bob,” said the girl, as the first threatening mutters from the orchestra heralded an imminent storm of melody, “when that boy comes to-morrow, what are you going to do?”

“Call up the police.”

“No, but you must do something. We shouldn’t have been here if it hadn’t been for him.”

“That’s true!” He pondered. “I’ve got it; I’ll get him a job with Raikes and Courtenay.”

“Why Raikes and Courtenay?”

“Because I have a pull with them. But principally,” said Mr. Ferguson, with a devilish grin, “because they live in Edinburgh, which, as you are doubtless aware, is a long, long way from London.”

He bent across the table.

“Isn’t this like old times?” he said. “Do you remember the first time I ever ki—”

Just then the orchestra broke out.


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