That was sufficient for Ansell.
Quickly he pushed away the table from the centre of the room, and, kicking aside the Japanese grass-mats, there was revealed in the floor a trap-door with an iron ring in it.
Without more ado he lifted the heavy flap, disclosing the cavernous darkness of a kind of shaft which led to the cellar, whence there was a secret exit into a neighbouring street. Placing his foot upon the first rung of the rickety ladder, he quickly disappeared, closing the flap after him and bolting it from beneath.
Thus Adolphe, robbed and imprisoned by the man he had trusted so implicitly, was left to his fate.
Scarcely had the fugitive, carrying with him the whole of the booty, closed down the flap in the floor when Adolphe, whose hand was very painful and bleeding profusely, suddenly heard the voices below.
He started, crept to the window, and looked cautiously down into the courtyard.
Two men were there—men whom he instantly recognised as police agents in plain clothes.
“The Eel” listened for a second, then dashed to the door to warn Ralph.
He turned the handle, but, to his surprise and dismay, found the door bolted.
“Ralph! Ralph!” he cried. “Are you there? Quick! Let me in! The police!”