ut--not that it's of any use unless
I can see Meyer--when I saw you. I'll give--I'll give five thousand
pounds to anyone who can get me across to Paris secretly. It's
here--in my pocket." And he tapped his breast.

Sir Tancred thought earnestly for fully five minutes; then he said, "It
can't be done."

"Don't say so! now don't," said the financier, "The money's here!
Here!" and he again slapped his breast pocket.

"It's no use," said Sir Tancred. "I might smuggle you out of the
hotel; but there isn't any sort of vessel, steamer, steam yacht, or
launch to take you across."

"Let's go to Dover in my car!"

"What's the use? The detectives would follow in theirs."

The financier groaned, and some large tears ran down his face. He bent
his head to hide them; and for all that he was not pleasant to look
upon, Tinker felt sorry for him.

"Cheer up, man," said Sir Tancred. "You can always begin again!"

But the financier would not be heartened. He made a wretched dinner;
after it he followed Sir Tancred into the billiard room, and steadily
drinking brandies and sodas, watched him play pool. At eleven he went
to bed. Tinker had gone to bed long before, but his door was just
open, and he saw the financier go into his room. Five minutes later he
stole across the corridor, and, without knocking, opened the door and
went in. The financier was sitting at a table, gazing through a mist
of tears at a nice, new nickel-plated revolver. He had no real
intention of blowing his brains out, but with the childlike, emotional
spirit of his race, he had persuaded himself that he had, and was
luxuriating in his woe.

"What do you want?" he moaned.

"I've come to show you a way of getting to Paris," said Tinker, closing
the door softly.

"Mein Gott!" cried the millionaire, relapsing into his vernacular in
his excitement. "How? How?"

"By Herr Schlugst's flying-machine."

"A flying-machine! Is the boy mad?"

"No, I'm not. I've been with Herr Schlugst on three trial trips; and
the last two he let me work it most of the time. It's as easy as
winking, once you know how to do it, and he says I understand it as
well as he does. It's all ready for the journey. We've only got to
get into it without waking him; and he sleeps like a log."

"Mein Gott! Mein Gott! What a plan! I'm to fly in the air with a
little boy! Oh, good gracious me! Good gracious me! What am I to
do?" And he stamped up and down, wringing h