until our friend returns."

The old man made a little run towards the door, but, as Athelney Jones
put his broad back up against it, he recognized the uselessness of
resistance.

"Pretty sort o' treatment this!" he cried, stamping his stick. "I come
here to see a gentleman, and you two, who I never saw in my life, seize
me and treat me in this fashion!"

"You will be none the worse," I said. "We shall recompense you for the
loss of your time. Sit over here on the sofa, and you will not have
long to wait."

He came across sullenly enough, and seated himself with his face
resting on his hands. Jones and I resumed our cigars and our talk.
Suddenly, however, Holmes's voice broke in upon us.

"I think that you might offer me a cigar too," he said.

We both started in our chairs. There was Holmes sitting close to us
with an air of quiet amusement.

"Holmes!" I exclaimed. "You here! But where is the old man?"

"Here is the old man," said he, holding out a heap of white hair. "Here
he is,--wig, whiskers, eyebrows, and all. I thought my disguise was
pretty good, but I hardly expected that it would stand that test."

"Ah, You rogue!" cried Jones, highly delighted. "You would have made
an actor, and a rare one. You had the proper workhouse cough, and
those weak legs of yours are worth ten pound a week. I thought I knew
the glint of your eye, though. You didn't get away from us so easily,
You see."

"I have been working in that get-up all day," said he, lighting his
cigar. "You see, a good many of the criminal classes begin to know
me,--especially since our friend here took to publishing some of my
cases: so I can only go on the war-path under some simple disguise
like this. You got my wire?"

"Yes; that was what brought me here."

"How has your case prospered?"

"It has all come to nothing. I have had to release two of my
prisoners, and there is no evidence against the other two."

"Never mind. We shall give you two others in the place of them. But
you must put yourself under my orders. You are welcome to all the
official credit, but you must act on the line that I point out. Is
that agreed?"

"Entirely, if you will help me to the men."

"Well, then, in the first place I shall want a fast police-boat--a
steam launch--to be at the Westminster Stairs at seven o'clock."

"That is easily managed. There is always one about there; but I can
step across the road and telephone to make sure."

"Th