"Of course not—only makes things ten times worse!" said Eves. "Catch his legs, Bob; if he isn’t quiet we’ll have to truss him up. I never came across such an impudent scoundrel. Here’s a burglar, caught in the act, claiming to be the chief magistrate! That beats everything! How’s it possible? I say, Bob, there’ll be a queer scene in court to-morrow. Suppose it were true, I can’t for the life of me see how the mayor on the bench and the criminal in the dock are going to arrange matters. Will he hop from one to the other, and finally sentence himself? That’s a Jekyll and Hyde problem I can’t solve. But here’s somebody coming—the bobby, I expect." Through the half-open door came a policeman, with handcuffs hanging from his wrists. "Here he is, constable!" said Eves. "He’s been struggling, but I dare say he’ll go quietly." "Now then, there," said the constable, "get up and come along quiet. We’ve been looking for you a month past. Who gives him in charge?" "I do," said Eves, "though I suppose Mr. Templeton ought to do it. You know Mr. Templeton, constable? Temporary assistant to Mr. Wilkins." "Ay, sure, I’ve seed the gentleman." Noakes had now risen, and stood before the constable, Eves on one side, Templeton on the other. His face, hitherto in shade, had come within the rays of the dim lamp. "Daze me!" said the constable, after a hard stare. "Surely—ay, ’tis the mayor, with the beginning of a black eye!" [Illustration: "’DAZE ME!’ SAID THE CONSTABLE. ’SURELY—AY, ’TIS THE MAYOR.’"] "Of course I’m the mayor!" said Noakes, truculently. "These young ruffians have assaulted me. I give them in charge, Brown." "That’s cool!" said Eves. "Don’t pay any attention to him, constable. He’s mad, or intoxicated. Mr. Templeton had occasion to come back to the shop, and we found this fellow in the act of trying to open a drawer where Mr. Templeton keeps important papers. He got a bit ruffled, of course. He says he’s the mayor, but is that likely? Take him to the station, constable: we’ll give the superintendent the facts." "He’s the mayor, or his double," said the constable. "And as to arresting the mayor——" "Don’t be a fool, Brown," said Noakes. "It’s all a mistake—and a mistake that’ll cost these young ruffians dear. I came here to see Wilkins, and afore I could get a word out, they knocked me down and nigh squeezed the breath out of me." "And Wilkins knows that you open his drawers in his absence?" said Eves. "Are these your keys, Bob, or Wilkins’s?" He held up the bunch of keys which Noakes had dropped. "Neither," said Templeton. "Mine are in my pocket: Mr. Wilkins no doubt has his." "Well, jown me if I know what to do!" said the constable. "You’d better all come along and charge each other, seems to me!" "What’s all this?" said a voice at the door. Wilkins entered breathlessly.