Part 2 (1/2)

”That would look very determined. On the other hand there must be annoying occasions when he starts out to strangle somebody and finds that he's pulling him out of the cistern.”

”Why, how delightful, Mr Simpson,” said Myra. ”Do show us some more.”

”Those are the most important ones. Then there are one or two fancy ones. Do you know the Monkey's Claw?”

”Don't touch it,” said Archie solemnly. ”It's poison.”

”Oh, I must show you that.”

Joe showed me the Monkey's Claw afterwards, and it is a beautiful thing, but it was not a bit like Simpson's. Simpson must have started badly, and I think he used too much rope. After about twenty minutes there was hardly any of him visible at all.

”Take your time, Houdini,” said Archie, ”take your time. Just let us know when you're ready to be put into the safe, that's all.”

”You would hardly think, to look at him now,” I said a minute later, ”that one day he'll be a dear little b.u.t.terfly.”

”Where's the sealing-wax, Maria? You know, I'm certain he'll never go for threepence.”

”What I say is, it's simply hypnotic suggestion. There's no rope there at all, really.”

An anxious silence followed.

”No,” said Simpson suddenly, ”I'm doing it wrong.”

”From to-night,” said Archie, after tea, ”you will be put on rations. One cobnut and a thimbleful of sherry wine per diem. I hope somebody's brought a thimble.”

”There really isn't so very much left,” said Dahlia.

”Then we shall have to draw lots who is to be eaten.”

”Don't we eat our boots and things first?” asked Myra.

”The doctor says I mustn't have anything more solid than a lightly-boiled shoe-lace the last thing at night.”

”After all, there's always the dinghy,” said Archie. ”If we put in a tin of corned beef and a compa.s.s and a keg of gunpowder, somebody might easily row in and post the letters. Personally, as captain, I must stick to my s.h.i.+p.”

”There's another way I've just thought of,” I said. ”Let's sail in.”

I pointed out to sea, and there, unmistakably, was the least little breeze coming over the waters. A minute later and our pennant napped once Simpson moistened a finger and held it up.

The sprint for home had begun.

III.--A DAY ASh.o.r.e

”Well, which is it to be?” asked Archie.

”Just whichever you like,” said Dahlia, ”only make up your minds.”