f it is their strong room, Bunny! Oh, Bunny, what
if this is their safe?"

Raffles had dropped upon his knees before a carved oak chest of
indisputable antiquity. Its panels were delightfully irregular, its
angles faultlessly faulty, its one modern defilement a strong lock to
the lid. Raffles was smiling as he produced his jimmy. R--r--r--rip
went lock or lid in another ten seconds--I was not there to see which.
I had wandered back into the bedroom in a paroxysm of excitement and
suspense. I must keep busy as well as Raffles, and it was not too
soon to see whether the rope-ladder was all right. In another minute...

I stood frozen to the floor. I had hooked the ladder beautifully to
the inner sill of wood, and had also let down the extended rod for the
more expeditious removal of both on our return to terra firma.
Conceive my cold horror on arriving at the open window just in time to
see the last of hooks and bending rod, as they floated out of sight and
reach into the outer darkness of the night, removed by some silent and
invisible hand below!

"Raffles-Raffles--they've spotted us and moved the ladder this very
instant!"

So I panted as I rushed on tiptoe to the dressing-room. Raffles had
the working end of his jimmy under the lid of a leathern jewel case. It
flew open at the vicious twist of his wrist that preceded his reply.

"Did you let them see that you'd spotted that?"

"No."

"Good! Pocket some of these cases--no time to open them. Which door's
nearest the backstairs?"

"The other."

"Come on then?"

"No, no, I'll lead the way. I know every inch of it."

And, as I leaned against the bedroom door, handle in hand, while
Raffles stooped to unscrew the gimlet and withdraw the wedge, I hit
upon the ideal port in the storm that was evidently about to burst on
our devoted heads. It was the last place in which they would look for
a couple of expert cracksmen with no previous knowledge of the house.
If only we could gain my haven unobserved, there we might lie in
unsuspected hiding, and by the hour, if not for days and nights.

Alas for that sanguine dream! The wedge was out, and Raffles on his
feet behind me. I opened the door, and for a second the pair of us
stood upon the threshold.

Creeping up the stairs before us, each on the tip of his silken toes,
was a serried file of pink barbarians, redder in the face than anywhere
else, and armed with crops carried by the wrong end. The monumenta