ightest idea
of the appearance of those who had attacked him.

Whilst Tom was in this condition the train stopped several times, but no
one entered the compartment, and, as the Venetian shutters were down, it
was impossible for any one to peer through the window and so become
aware of his position.

He tried to knock his feet against the side of the carriage at the first
station, but he was bound too securely to the seat which formed his bed
to allow of the slightest movement, so wearily and painfully the hours
dragged on until the guard discovered him and set him free at Lala Musa
station.

The moment he was released he found that the only thing missing was the
fragment of slab he was to have taken to the Museum.

"They followed me to Gunjyal and then slipped into my carriage at some
station whilst I was asleep, and quietly slipped out at the next station
when they had got what they wanted," mused Tom.

By the time he had given an account of what had happened to him he had
only a few minutes in which to rush over to the refreshment-room and get
some breakfast before his train was due.

When Tom arrived in Lahore he went straight to his office, and in a
couple of hours he had completed the special work which had necessitated
his journey; then he went over to the Museum.

"The thief has been caught, Sahib," said one of the attendants as Tom
entered the building.

"When? Who is he?" asked Tom, in considerable surprise, for he had
concluded that his late assailants were the men who had robbed the
Museum.

"They caught him during last night, but I don't know much about it yet,"
replied the man.

Tom at once hurried off to the police-station to learn full particulars.

"Yes, we found a piece of stone with some strange device on it," said
the Superintendent of Police. "This is it. Do you recognise it?" he
added, as he handed Tom the stone.

"No, this is not the one the Doctor found," said Tom, after a moment's
examination.

"Well, it is the only bit we got, and we are told it was stolen from
the Museum with some others, during a fight," said the officer.

"How did you get this?" asked Tom.

"Well, in rather a strange way. The night after the stones had
disappeared three clever burglaries took place in Lahore, and the
thieves made valuable hauls in each case, but we could get no clue. Last
night an anonymous letter came to us, and we decided to act upon it, so
we searched a house in the bazaar and recovered