"Then put it on, also a pair of light check trousers, if you have them."

I went to my room and did as he desired. When I returned to the study he had arranged a number of articles upon the table--crepe hair, spectacles, a curiously low cut collar, and a soft felt hat with a dented crown. He gazed at me with approval, and then said:

"The effect will be excellent, I feel sure. Sit down here."

I did as commanded and he immediately set to work. As he was occupied behind me I could not of course see what he was doing, but after a while he took off my own collar, put on the low one he had brought with him, cut up some crepe hair and gummed it to my face, with what I believe is technically termed "spirit gum," trimmed its exuberances with a pair of scissors, and finally combed my moustache over it. This accomplished, he placed the spectacles upon my nose and the soft felt hat rather rakishly upon my head, patted me on the shoulder, and said:

"Look at yourself in the gla.s.s."

I rose and went over to the fire-place. But, though I looked in the mirror above the chimney piece, I did not recognise myself. My moustache was waxed to a point and stood out above a close-cropped chestnut beard, while over my coat collar hung a profusion of curls of a corresponding colour. Indeed, my whole appearance suggested a man whose aim in life it was to copy, as nearly as possible, the accepted portrait of the Bard of Avon.

"It is wonderful," I said. "n.o.body would ever recognise me. I feel a theatrical agent all over."

"Remember you are Fairlight Longsman, the author of several farces, and my secretary. Whatever you do, don't forget that. Now we must be going. Come along."

We left the house unnoticed, and, having hailed a hansom, were driven to the carriage builder's yard at Vauxhall. Walworth had evidently written preparing him for our visit, for, early as it was, we found him waiting to receive us.

"Zir," began Mr. Maximillien Stragaus, in broken English, as soon as he had descended from the cab. "Is it you dot are Mr. Ebridge?"

"That is my name, sir," said the coachbuilder. "And you are Mr.

Stragaus, I presume."

"Dot is my name. Dis shentleman is my secretary, Mr. Fairlide Longsman. Now, you know, an' so we can our business begin to dalk!"

"Perhaps you will be good enough, gentlemen, to step into my office first. We shall be more private there."

We followed him into the room he mentioned, and took possession of the chairs he offered us.

"Now, Mr. Stragaus, in what way can I be of service to you?" he asked, seating himself as he spoke at his desk.

"Zir! My segratary sprechens the Anglaish better nor me, he vill dell you."

I felt that it behoved me to do my best, so leaning forward in a confidential manner, I said:

"My employer, as doubtless you are very well aware, Mr. Ebridge, is one of the largest theatrical _entrepreneurs_ in England. His dealings are gigantic. And it is the business connected with one of those enormous productions that brings us here. In the first place, you must know that, on the third Sat.u.r.day in this present month, he has arranged to produce the entirely new and original drama, "Saved by a Woman's Pluck," at the Royal Olympic Theatre, Manchester. By the way, have you the preliminary poster with you, Mr. Stragaus?"

In answer Mr. Stragaus produced from his bag the placard before described and spread it upon the table, at the same time looking at the coachbuilder as if to demand his opinion on such a fine display of colour.

"You will observe, Mr. Ebridge," I continued, when the other had read it, "that the whole production will be on a scale of unparalleled splendour,--police, bloodhounds, live horses, and one large prison van, all on the stage,--it will be one of the greatest successes of the century. But we want your a.s.sistance."

"You mean, of course, that you want me to make you a van!"

"Exactly!"

"Just a makeshift affair for the stage, I presume?"

"Oh, dear, no! That is not Mr. Stragaus' way of doing business at all.

If he has a fire engine on the stage, as he had in his last production, it must be a real engine, with every detail complete and in proper working order. In the same way then, when he orders a police van, he wants it made in every particular just as you would make it for Her Majesty's Government. There must be no difference at all in any one respect, neither the painting, lettering, nor the internal fittings."

"It will cost you a lot of money, Mr. Stragaus," said the builder.

"Dot is no madder at all to me," replied Mr. Stragaus pompously; "I vill 'ave de ding berfect or nod at all. Vot is more, I must 'ave it at once."

"Mr. Stragaus, I may point out to you, Mr. Ebridge," I continued, "is in a very great hurry. There has been a slight pushing forward of dates, and in order to insure a success he is willing to pay you handsomely if you will complete the work in a short s.p.a.ce of time."

"How long can you give me, sir?"

"A week exactly. Not a day longer!"

"Impossible. It cannot be done!"

"Den ve must go elsewhere, mine vriend," said Mr. Stragaus. "Dot is all. If you will underdake to do de vork and to 'and me over de van gomplete on next Duesday evening at twelve o'glock, I vill pay you dwice de sum you ask me now."

The man looked up in surprise at this extraordinary offer, and asked to be excused for a moment while he consulted with his foreman. While he was absent, Walworth whispered:

"I think he'll do it. And if we can arrange it that way we shall be able to get it safely up to the yard of the house un.o.bserved."

Here the coachbuilder returned.

"My foreman tells me he thinks it can be done, sir. But you must see that it will mean night and day work for us all. And the charge will have to be on a corresponding scale."

"Dot is nodings to me. You do de work, and I vill pay der money. You agree? Den it is arranged I shall send my men for der van 'ere on Duesday night at twelve o'glock, and you will 'ave it gomplete! Den we can zend it on by rail vorst ding in der mornin'. But, mind you dis, if it is not done den, I vill not pay you von farding, you agree?"

"I agree. I have given you my promise, Mr. Stragaus, and whatever happens, it shall be completed by that time!"

"Dot is goot. You might, too, 'ave a tarbaulin to cover it mit, so that de publick shall not see it ven ve take it away. Now, zir, I vish you goot morning. You vill be paid for de van ven my men dake delivery."

"Thank you, sir! Good-morning, gentlemen."

When we were once more in the cab, and on our way back to town, Walworth discarded his German accent and resumed his natural tongue.

"So far so good. That bit of business is satisfactorily accomplished."

"You did not say anything to him about observing secrecy."

"It wasn't necessary. That poster, which you will notice I have left upon his table, will account for everything."

"But supposing the police get to hear of it, and it rouses their suspicions?"

"Well, let them get to hear of it. If they suspect, they will call on Ebridge and make inquiries. He will then describe us and show the poster. They may then possibly telegraph to the Olympic, Manchester, and learn that Mr. Stragaus _has_ booked a season there for his new play. That will put them off the scent completely."

"And what are we to do now?"

"Well, now, you had better come to breakfast with me, I think, at my lodgings. You can there resume your own everyday appearance. During the morning I am going to meet two men I have in my mind for the policemen; after that I shall visit a tailor's shop and order the uniforms as arranged. In the afternoon I'm going to hunt for a house."

"Can I do anything else to help you?"

"Not just at present. Unless you can find me a trustworthy lady who will consent to masquerade for a little while as a hospital nurse?"