“Will any gentleman in the audience provide me with a handkerchief? Sergeant Packer? Thank you. You are perfectly certain this is your handkerchief? You see me place it in the right-hand pocket of my jacket? I thank you. Now, Mr. Singleton, I am one of those three gentlemen aforesaid. You see me here in the yard. You are standing by the stage-door. I walk along the yard into the office. Got your watch out, Wade? Off we go.”

Singleton and the three officers stood in a group at the stage-door. Alleyn walked briskly down the yard and into the office, leaving the door open.

“What’s the idea, Mr. Wade?” asked Cass. “He’s a bit of a hard case, isn’t he?”

“He’ll do me,” said Packer. “He’s a corker.”

“Watch that door into the office,” snapped Wade. “And the yard.”

The door remained open on the yard. Nobody spoke. The sound of traffic in the street, and footsteps on the pavement outside, broke the silence. One or two people walked past at the end of the yard.

“He hasn’t come out, anyway,” said Cass.

“Time,” said Wade. “Come on, Singleton. Come on, you two.”

They all walked down the yard and into the office. Alleyn was sitting at the desk.

“Well!” said Alleyn brightly. “Still here, you see.”

“I thought, Superintendent,” said Mr. Singleton, ‘that you said we were to receive a surprise.”

“And you are disappointed?” He looked from one dubious face to the other. Wade was staring expectantly at him.

“I expect you’d like to know where the laugh and round of applause comes in,” said Alleyn. “If Sergeant Packer will look at the bottom rung of the back-stage ladder into the grid he will learn something to his advantage.”

“Go on, Packer,” said Wade.

Packer hurried off through the stage-door. There was a short pause and then he came thundering back.

“By cripey, Mr. Wade, it’s a corker! By gosh, Mr. Wade, it’s a humdinger!”

He was waving the handkerchief. Cass’s eyes opened very wide. Mr. Singleton moistened his lips once or twice but, for a marvel, he had nothing to say.

“Tied to the bottom rung it was,” declared Packer. “Tied to the bottom rung. By gum, it’s a beaut!”

“You see it can be done, Wade,” said Alleyn.

“It’s good enough,” said Wade delightedly, “it’s good enough.”

“Ah—um—very neat,” said Mr. Singleton. He drew the palm of his hand across his mouth. “I recollect seeing the Great Houdini—”

“Mr. Singleton,” said Alleyn, ‘I’m afraid I’ve taken up far too much of your time. We mustn’t keep you any longer. Will you allow me to quote your favourite author?—‘Spend this for me.’”

Mr. Singleton broke into a loud laugh as his fingers closed on the tip.