down the Euston Road was
extraordinary. Sarakoff was in front, his dressing-gown flying, and his
pink pyjamas making a vivid area of colour in the drab street. I
followed a few yards in the rear, hatless, with my breath coming in
gasps.

It was Sarakoff who first saw the taxi-cab. He veered suddenly into the
road and held out his arms. The cab slowed down and in a moment we were
inside it.

"Go on," shouted Sarakoff, "Drive on. Don't stop."

The driver was a man of spirit and needed no further directions. The cab
jerked forward and we sped towards St. Pancras Station.

"Follow the tram lines up to Hampstead," I called out, and he nodded. We
lay gasping in the back of the cab, cannoning helplessly as it swayed
round corners. By the time we had reached Hampstead our fear had left
us.

The cab drew up on the Spaniard's Walk and we alighted. It was a bleak
and misty morning. The road seemed deserted. A thin column of steam rose
from the radiator of the taxi, and there was a smell of over-heated
oil.

"Sharp work that," said the driver, getting out and beating his arms
across his chest. His eyes moved over us with frank curiosity. Sarakoff
shivered and drew his dressing-gown closely round him.

CHAPTER XXVI

ON THE SPANIARD'S WALK

I paid the man half-a-sovereign. There was a seat near by and Sarakoff
deposited himself upon it. I joined him. On those heights the morning
air struck chill. London, misty-blue, lay before us. The taxi-man took
out his pipe and began to fill it.

"Lucky me comin' along like that," he observed. "If it hadn't been
because of my missus I wouldn't have been out so early." He blew a puff
of smoke and continued: "This Blue Disease seems to confuse folk. My
missus was took with it last night." He paused to examine us at his
leisure. "When did you get it?"

"We became immortal the day before yesterday," said Sarakoff.

The taxi-man took his pipe out of his mouth and stared.

"You ain't them two doctors what's in the paper this morning, by any
chance?" he asked. "Them as is supposed to 'ave invented this Blue
Disease?"

We nodded. He emitted a low whistle and gazed thoughtfully at us. At
length he spoke I noticed his tone had changed.

"As I was saying, my missus was took with it in the night. I had a job
waking 'er up, and when she opened her eyes I near had a fit. We'd had a
bit of a tiff overnight, but she got up as quiet as a lamb and never
said a word agin me, which surpr