t will tell you, are really inseparable from victories like
mine. It had taken me a couple of hours to break out of that
strong-room; I was devoting a third to the harmless task of simulating
the appearance of having broken in; and it was then I heard the
fellow's stealthy step. Some might have stood their ground and killed
him; more would have bolted into a worse corner than they were in
already. I left my candle where it was, crept to meet the poor devil,
flattened myself against the wall, and let him have it as he passed. I
acknowledge the foul blow, but here's evidence that it was mercifully
struck. The victim has already told his tale."

As he drained his glass, but shook his head when I wished to replenish
it, Raffles showed me the flask which he had carried in his pocket: it
was still nearly full; and I found that he had otherwise provisioned
himself over the holidays. On either Easter Day or Bank Holiday, had I
failed him, it had been his intention to make the best escape he could.
But the risk must have been enormous, and it filled my glowing skin to
think that he had not relied on me in vain.

As for his gleanings from such jewel-cases as were spending the Easter
recess in the strong-room of my bank, (without going into rhapsodies or
even particulars on the point,) I may mention that they realized enough
for me to join Raffles on his deferred holiday in Scotland, besides
enabling him to play more regularly for Middlesex in the ensuing summer
than had been the case for several seasons. In fine, this particular
exploit entirely justified itself in my eyes, in spite of the
superfluous (but invariable) secretiveness which I could seldom help
resenting in my heart I never thought less of it than in the present
instance; and my one mild reproach was on the subject of the phantom
Crawshay.

"You let me think he was in the air again," I said. "But it wouldn't
surprise me to find that you had never heard of him since the day of
his escape through your window."

"I never even thought of him, Bunny, until you came to see me the day
before yesterday, and put him into my head with your first words. The
whole point was to make you as genuinely anxious about the plate as you
must have seemed all along the line."

"Of course I see your point," I rejoined; "but mine is that you labored
it. You needn't have written me a downright lie about the fellow."

"Nor did I, Bunny."

"Not about the 'prince of professors'