"It's called 'The Cedars' and it fronts on J—— Road. It's just been leased to a Dr. Ignatius Phillips, who's supposed to be a brain specialist. I've weighed up every inch of ground and my plan's this: Two boys come along directly after dusk, and take up their posts behind the hedge of the back lane; ten minutes after, two more make themselves scarce on the west side and two more on the towing-path. There's a thick clump of trees with some railings around, right opposite the door. You and I will hide there with Martin. We'll see who goes in. There's just a short, crescent-shaped drive, and only a low hedge. When everybody has arrived, we march up to the front door. As soon as it's opened, in we go, a whole crush of us! The house will be surrounded——"
"It sounds a bit on the dangerous side!"
"There'll be plenty of us—four or five."
"Make it six. He's got such a crowd of accomplices!"
"Six of us, then——"
"I wish you'd let Scotland Yard take it in hand."
"As you please. It's for you to say. But they have made so many blunders——"
"You're right! Hang the expense! I'll see to this business myself!"
"Then we shall want rather more men than I'd arranged for. Suppose we go and ring up Sullivan's?"
Zoe was wide awake now. A door shut. She sat up with a start. The darkness was redolent of strong tobacco-smoke, the smoke of a cheroot. She realised, instantly, what had happened—