He raised one hand quickly to his breast, as the thought sent a thrill through him, and taking advantage of a busy time when tools clinked and voices whispering were heard, he stole right down, stepped cautiously along the passage, and then darted into the first open doorway, for there was an impatient utterance from somewhere ahead, and he felt that he was on the point of being discovered. But the work went on again, and he glanced round, found that he was in the butler's pantry, and saw at the same instant more--the tightly-bound woman upon the table. He was at her side in an instant, and as he bent over her the wild eyes were opened and gazed intently in his. There was no occasion for him to raise his finger to his lips, for the old housekeeper, as the tapping went on, gave him a meaning look and jerked her head side-wise, before lying perfectly still again. The professor nodded sharply, tapped his breast, and then drew a pen-knife from his pocket, with whose keen blade he quickly divided the rope which bound hands and feet. Then, pressing his finger to his lips once more, he went silently out of the pantry, followed by the housekeeper's eyes, as breathing hard she watched him and then lay perfectly still with her face contracted by pain and dread, waiting for the denouement. It was long in coming, for the professor's movements were slow and cautious in the extreme. But there was to be no more retreat. He did not know who were there for some time, but he was ready to meet the enemy, whoever it might be. At last he was in a position from which he could peer round the angle where the passage turned sharply, and as he gazed into the lobby a few yards off, where Roach directed the light of the bull's-eye lantern with quivering hand, his own trembled and the revolver he held shook when it was raised again and again to take aim. At last a grim smile of satisfaction tightened his lips into a line, for he saw his opportunity. In the very nick of time, after stealing close up, he threw himself forward, and with one heavy thrust drove the butler forward over his companion, banged to the door and locked it, bringing out the key, before he retreated and turned the corner to listen for the explosion which did not come. "Light went out, I suppose," he muttered. "Pity too. Pleasanter for others, and it would have been accidental." He thrust back the revolver, placed the key in his pocket, and without stopping hurried into the pantry. "Got them--safe," he said, and ran upstairs to the handsome library, where he unlocked a cabinet, touched a button and waited for a minute, before a little weird voice answered-- "Who is it?" He gave his number to the questioner, and asked to be switched on to X987654321. In a few minutes, in obedience to the modern magic of the telephone, there came another signal and question and satisfactory proof of identity, before the professor said sharply-- "Krakatoa. Come quick."