ad been sent away on a message up to Manchester, and I
was taking his place, when one evening, while I was getting out "the
guv'nor's" dress clothes, he entered the room, and closing the door
carefully, said:

"Be ready for something to happen to-night, Nye. We're going to hold up
the spy and make him disgorge all the secret reports supplied by his
agents. Listen to my instructions, for all must be done without any
fuss. We don't want to upset the good people here. You see that small
dressing-case of mine over there?"--and he indicated a square
crocodile-skin case with silver fittings. "Well, at ten o'clock go and
get the car out on the excuse that you have to go into Peterborough for
me. You will find Shand's bag already in it, so put your own in also,
but don't let anybody see you. Run her down the road about a mile from
the lodge-gates and into that by-road just beyond the finger-posts where
I showed you the other day. Then pull up, put out the lights, and leave
her as though you've had a breakdown. Walk back here, get my
dressing-case, and carry it back to the car. Then wait for us. Only
recollect, don't return to get my bag until half-past ten. You see those
two candles on the dressing-table? Now if any hitch occurs, I shall
light them. So if I do, leave my bag here and bring my car back. You
understand?"

"Quite," I said, full of excitement. And then I helped him to dress
hurriedly, and he went downstairs.

We were about to "hold up" the spy. But how?

Those hours dragged slowly by. I peeped into the hall after dinner and
saw the Honourable Bob seated in a corner with the Baronne, away from
the others, chatting with her. The spy, all unsuspicious, was talking to
his hostess, while Shand was playing poker.

Just before ten I crept out with my small bag, unseen by any one, and
walked across the park to the garage. The night was stormy, the moon was
hidden behind a cloud-bank. There was nobody about, so I got out the
"ninety," started her, and mounting at the wheel was soon gliding down
the avenue, out of the lodge-gates, and into the by-road which the
Honourable Bob had indicated. Descending, I looked inside the car and
saw that Shand's bag had already been placed there by an unknown hand.

In that short run I noticed I had lost the screw cap of the radiator.
This surprised me, for I recollected how that evening when filling up
with water I had screwed it down tightly. Somebody must have tampered
with it--som