ite and a row of water colors mounted in
gold. An excellent bathroom broke our journey to the second floor.

"I'll have one to-night," said I, taking heart of a luxury unknown in
my last sordid sanctuary.

"You'll do no such thing," snapped Raffles. "Have the goodness to
remember that our island is one of a group inhabited by hostile
tribes. You can fill the bath quietly if you try, but it empties under
the study window, and makes the very devil of a noise about it. No,
Bunny, I bale out every drop and pour it away through the scullery
sink, so you will kindly consult me before you turn a tap. Here's your
room; hold the light outside while I draw the curtains; it's the old
chap's dressing-room. Now you can bring the glim. How's that for a
jolly wardrobe? And look at his coats on their cross-trees inside:
dapper old dog, shouldn't you say? Mark the boots on the shelf above,
and the little brass rail for his ties! Didn't I tell you he was
particular? And wouldn't he simply love to catch us at his kit?"

"Let's only hope it would give him an apoplexy," said I shuddering.

"I shouldn't build on it," replied Raffles. "That's a big man's
trouble, and neither you nor I could get into the old chap's clothes.
But come into the best bedroom, Bunny. You won't think me selfish if I
don't give it up to you? Look at this, my boy, look at this! It's the
only one I use in all the house."

I had followed him into a good room, with ample windows closely
curtained, and he had switched on the light in a hanging lamp at the
bedside. The rays fell from a thick green funnel in a plateful of
strong light upon a table deep in books. I noticed several volumes of
the "Invasion of the Crimea."

"That's where I rest the body and exercise the brain," said Raffles.
"I have long wanted to read my Kinglake from A to Z, and I manage
about a volume a night. There's a style for you, Bunny! I love the
punctilious thoroughness of the whole thing; one can understand its
appeal to our careful colonel. His name, did you say? Crutchley,
Bunny--Colonel Crutchley, R.E., V.C."

"We'd put his valor to the test!" said I, feeling more valiant myself
after our tour of inspection.

"Not so loud on the stairs," whispered Raffles. "There's only one door
between us and----"

Raffles stood still at my feet, and well he might! A deafening double
knock had resounded through the empty house; and to add to the utter
horror of the moment, Raffles instantly blew out t