"It's very queer that that man Mankell's should be the only cell in the prison left untampered with." "Very queer, indeed." "What are we to do? We can't leave the men locked up all day. It's breakfast-time already. I suppose the cooks haven't gone down to the cookhouse?" "They're locked up with the rest. Barnes has been up to know what he's to do." Barnes was the prison cook. The cooks referred to were six good-behaviour men who were told off to assist him in his duties. "If the food were cooked, I don't see how we should give it to the men." "That's the question." Mr. Murray pondered. "We might pass it through the gas-holes." "We should have to break the glass to do it. You wouldn't find it easy. It's plate-glass, an inch in thickness, and built into the solid wall." There was a pause for consideration. "Well, this is a pretty start. I've never come across anything like it in all my days before." Mr. Paley passed his hand through his hair. He had never come across anything like it either. "I shall have to telegraph to the commissioners. I can't do anything without their sanction." The following telegram was sent: "Cannot get prisoners out of night-cells. Something the matter with locks. Cannot give them any food. The matter is very urgent. What shall I do?" The following answer was received: "Inspector coming down." The inspector came down--Major William Hardinge. A tall, portly gentleman, with a very decided manner. When he saw the governor he came to the point at once. "What's all this stuff?" "We can't get the prisoners out of the night-cells." "Why?" "There's something the matter with the locks." "Have you given them any food?" "We have not been able to." "When were they locked up?" "Yesterday evening at six o'clock." "This is a very extraordinary state of things." "It is, or I shouldn't have asked for instructions." "It's now three o'clock in the afternoon. They've been without food for twenty-one hours. You've no right to keep them without food all that time." "We are helpless. The construction of the night-cells does not permit of our introducing food into the interior when the doors are closed." "Have they been quiet?" "They've been as quiet as under the circumstance was to be expected." As they were crossing towards the north division the governor spoke again: "We've been able to get one man out." "One!--out of the lot! How did you get him?" "Oddly enough, the lock of his cell was the only one in the prison which had not been tampered with." "Hum! I should like to see that man." "His name's Mankell. He only came in yesterday. He's been pretending to magic powers--telling fortunes, and that kind of thing." "Only came in yesterday? He's begun early. Perhaps we shall have to tell him what his fortune's likely to be."