“Try the ignition,” Stephano said. Mr. Poe nodded, and walked back to his car. He sat in the driver’s seat and turned the key. The engine made a rough, wet noise—it sounded quite a bit like Mr. Poe’s coughs—but it did not start.

“I’m afraid the engine is quite dead,” Mr.

Poe called out.

“And before long,” Stephano muttered to the children, “you will be too.”

“I’m sorry,” Mr. Poe said. “I couldn’t hear you.”

Stephano smiled. “I said, that’s too bad. Well, why don’t I take the orphans back to the house, and you walk behind us? There isn’t room for everyone.”

Mr. Poe frowned. “But the children’s suitcases are here. I don’t want to leave them unattended. Why don’t we put the luggage into your car, and the children and I will walk back to the house?”

Stephano frowned. “Well, one of the children should ride with me, so I won’t get lost.”

Mr. Poe smiled. “But you can see the house from here. You won’t get lost.”

“Stephano doesn’t want us to be alone with you,” Violet said, finally speaking up. She had been waiting for the proper moment to make her case. “He’s afraid that we’ll tell you who he really is, and what he’s really up to.”

“What’s she talking about?” Mr. Poe asked Stephano.

“I have no idea, Mr. Toe,” Stephano replied, shaking his head and looking at Violet fiercely.

Violet took a deep breath. “This man is not Stephano,” she said, pointing at him. “He’s Count Olaf, and he’s here to take us away.”

“Who am I?” Stephano asked. “What am I doing?”

Mr. Poe looked Stephano up and down, and then shook his head. “Forgive the children,” he said. “They are very upset. Count Olaf is a terrible man who tried to steal their money, and the youngsters are very frightened of him.”

“Do I look like this Count Olaf?” Stephano asked, his eyes shining.

“No, you don’t,” Mr. Poe said. “Count Olaf had one long eyebrow, and a clean-shaven face. You have a beard, and if you don’t mind my saying so, no eyebrows at all.”

“He shaved his eyebrow,” Violet said, “and grew a beard. Anyone can see that.”

“And he has the tattoo!” Klaus cried. “The eye tattoo, on his ankle! Look at the tattoo!”

Mr. Poe looked at Stephano, and shrugged apologetically. “I’m sorry to ask you this,” he said, “but the children seem so upset, and before we discuss anything further I’d like to set their minds at ease. Would you mind showing me your ankle?”

“I’d be happy to,” Stephano said, giving the children a toothy smile. “Right or left?”

Klaus closed his eyes and thought for a second. “Left,” he said.