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alarmed.
    ‘Don’t you think they’ll expect something like that, and be waiting for you?’ he asked.
    ‘We’ll have to risk it,’ was the calm reply.
    ‘I wish I could come with you, sir.’
    ‘My dear chap, you’ve done your share. Achmet and I will manage all right. Will you describe to him the house, and the way to get to it?’
    Henderson did so; then Sir Leonard told the Arab to go, and meet him at ten that night by the bridge. Achmet seemed to think that the hour was too early, but Wallace explained that he wanted to inspect the place before attempting to enter it.
    ‘When you go down now,’ he added, ‘look as disgruntled as you like, call me the worst names you can think of, and let it be known that, after ordering your attendance and arranging for a dahabeeyah , I have changed my mind and dismissed you. That ought to keep suspicion from you. Do you think you can find the house from Mr Henderson’s description?’
    The grinning man declared that he could, and departed. Sir Leonard shaved, bathed, and dressed, then interviewed the manager, as a result of which no servants went near his room all day, except to hand in bowls of beef-tea. No doubt this caused a certain amount of mystification – the manager himself was puzzled, for he had been told very little – butWallace did not mind very much. By evening Henderson’s condition had greatly improved, and he was able to have a bath and shave, which made an extraordinary difference to his appearance.
    After dinner Wallace took some garments from a suitcase, changed into them, then stained his face, neck and right arm a deep brown. He smiled rather ruefully at the other – an artificial arm does not require any stain to make it brown, especially when the hand is covered by a glove of that colour. He had completed the transformation, and was examining himself critically in a mirror, when Henderson, who had been sleeping, awoke. The latter, to his astonishment and dismay, saw a typical fellah standing before him and demanded to know what he was doing there. Sir Leonard laughed and announced himself, whereupon the other whistled with amazement.
    ‘It’s a great disguise, Sir Leonard,’ he remarked.
    ‘Glad you like it,’ returned his chief shortly. ‘Now, as soon as I’ve gone, lock yourself in, and open the door for no one until you hear my voice. I’ve bolted both the windows, though I doubt if anybody could get in that way; and here is a revolver. Put it under your pillow.’
    He handed his subordinate the weapon, and secreted another in his clothing in handy proximity to the wicked-looking knife already stuck in his girdle, then went quietly to the door.
    ‘Good luck, Sir Leonard,’ said Henderson.
    Wallace nodded his thanks, and the next moment was looking cautiously up and down the corridor. Nobody was about, and he slipped out, made his way to the service stairs, and quietly descended. Twice he was compelled to hide to avoid running into servants, but eventually was out of the hotelwalking swiftly to the bridge. He heard a clock strike ten just as he reached it to find Achmet leaning on the parapet gazing down at the feluccas riding at anchor below. He tapped him on the shoulder, but Achmet looked him up and down without recognition until Wallace quietly announced himself, then a similar look of surprise came on the Arab’s face to that which had been on Henderson’s.
    ‘It is wonderful,’ he breathed.
    ‘Not very appropriate, I’m afraid,’ muttered Sir Leonard, ‘but a good disguise.’
    He chuckled to himself as he remembered that the last time he had worn it had been at a Covent Garden ball.
    Without another word Achmet set off, with the other in close attendance. Before long they had plunged into a district of narrow streets and labyrinthine alleys, where the old buildings huddled together, and the latticed windows above appeared to lean over and almost touch each other. Although late, the tortuous streets were crowded with