in the electric light. I found Raffles hanging out of the starry
square which was the bedroom window, for the room was still in
darkness. I felt for the switch at the door.

"Put it out again!" said Raffles fiercely. He rose from the sill, drew
blind and curtains carefully, then switched on the light himself. It
fell upon a face creased more in pity than in anger, and Raffles only
shook his head as I hung mine.

"It's all right, old boy," said he; "but corridors have windows too,
and servants have eyes; and you and I are supposed to be in the other
room, not in this. But cheer up, Bunny! This is THE room; look at the
extra bolt on the door; he's had that put on, and there's an iron
ladder to his window in case of fire! Way of escape ready against the
hour of need; he's a better man than I thought him, Bunny, after all.
But you may bet your bottom dollar that if there's any boodle in the
flat it's in this room."

Yet the room was very lightly furnished; and nothing was locked. We
looked everywhere, but we looked in vain. The wardrobe was filled with
hanging coats and trousers in a press, the drawers with the softest
silk and finest linen. It was a camp bedstead that would not have
unsettled an anchorite; there was no place for treasure there. I
looked up the chimney, but Raffles told me not to be a fool, and asked
if I ever listened to what he said. There was no question about his
temper now. I never knew him in a worse.

"Then he has got it in the bank," he growled. "I'll swear I'm not
mistaken in my man!"

I had the tact not to differ with him there. But I could not help
suggesting that now was our time to remedy any mistake we might have
made. We were on the right side of midnight still.

"Then we stultify ourselves downstairs," said Raffles. "No, I'll be
shot if I do! He may come in with the Kirkleatham diamonds! You do
what you like, Bunny, but I don't budge."

"I certainly shan't leave you," I retorted, "to be knocked into the
middle of next week by a better man than yourself."

I had borrowed his own tone, and he did not like it. They never do. I
thought for a moment that Raffles was going to strike me--for the first
and last time in his life. He could if he liked. My blood was up. I
was ready to send him to the devil. And I emphasized my offence by
nodding and shrugging toward a pair of very large Indian clubs that
stood in the fender, on either side of the chimney up which I had