“And I know who he is too — it is Terry-Kane!” thought Julian, moving like a shadow into the room. “He’s exactly like the picture we saw in the papers. Perhaps the other man is here too.”

He looked cautiously round the room but could see no one else, although it was possible there might be someone in the darkest shadows. He listened.

There was only the snoring of the man lying in the moonlight. He could not hear the breathing of anyone else. With his hand still on Timmy’s collar he switched on his torch and swept it round the tower-room, its beam piercing the black corners.

No one was there except the one man — and, with a sudden shock, Julian saw that he was tied with ropes! His arms were bound behind him and his legs were tied together too. If this was Terry-Kane then his uncle must be right. The man was no traitor — he had been kidnapped and was a prisoner.

Everyone was now in the room, staring at the sleeping man. He had his mouth open, and he still snored loudly.

“What are you going to do, Julian?” whispered George. “Wake him up?”

Julian nodded. He went over to the sleeping man and shook him by the shoulder. He woke up at once and stared in amazement at Julian, who was full in the moonlight. He struggled up to a sitting position.

“Who are you?” he said. “How did you get here — and who are those over in the shadows there?”

“Listen — are you Mr. Terry-Kane?” asked Julian.

“Yes. I am. But who are you?”

“We are staying on the hill opposite the castle,” said Julian. “And we saw your face at the window, through our field-glasses. So we came to find you.”

“But — but how do you know who I am?” said the man, still amazed.

“We read about you in the papers,” said Julian. “And we saw your picture. We couldn’t help noticing your eyebrows, sir — we even saw them through the glasses.”

“Look here — can you undo me?” said the man, eagerly. “I must escape. Tomorrow night my enemies are smuggling me out of here, into a car and down to the sea — and a boat is being hired to take me across to the Continent. They want me to tell them what I know about my latest experiments. I shan’t of course — but life wouldn’t be at all pleasant for me!”

“I’ll cut the ropes,” said Julian, and he took out his pocket-knife. He cut the knots that tied Terry-Kane’s wrists together and then freed his legs. Timmy stood and watched, ready to pounce if the man did anything fierce!

“That’s better,” said the man, stretching his arms out.

“How did you manage to get to the window?” asked Julian, watching the man rub his arms and knees.

“Each evening one of the men who brought me here comes to bring me food and drink,” said Terry-Kane. “He undoes my hands so that I can feed myself. He sits and smokes while I eat, taking no notice of me. I drag myself over to the window to have a breath of fresh air. I can’t stay there long because I am soon tied up again, of course. I can’t imagine how anyone could see my face at this deep-set slit-window!”