Though not unprepared for some such ultimatum, I must own I heard it with dismay. On all sorts of grounds, some of them as unworthy as itself, this last demand failed to meet with my approval; and I determined to expostulate with Raffles before it was too late. Meanwhile I hid my feelings as best I could, and admired the spirit with which Dan Levy expressed his. "I'll see you damned first!" he cried. "It's blackmail!" "Guineas," said Raffles, "for contempt of court." And more to my surprise than ever, not a little indeed to my secret disappointment, our captive speedily collapsed again, whimpering, moaning, gnashing his teeth, and clutching at the Red Ensign, with closed eyes and distorted face, so much as though he were about to have a fit that I caught up the half-bottle of champagne, and began removing the wire at a nod from Raffles. "Don't cut the string just yet," he added, however, with an eye on Levy--who instantly opened his. "I'll pay up!" he whispered, feebly yet eagerly. "It serves me right. I promise I'll pay up!" "Good!" said Raffles. "Here's your own cheque-book from your own room, and here's my fountain pen." "You won't take my word?" "It's quite enough to have to take your cheque; it should have been hard cash." "So it shall be, Raffles, if you come up with me to my office!" "I dare say." "To my bank, then!" "I prefer to go alone. You will kindly make it an open cheque payable to bearer." The fountain pen was poised over the chequebook, but only because I had placed it in Levy's fingers, and was holding the cheque-book under them. "And what if I refuse?" he demanded, with a last flash of his native spirit. "We shall say good-bye, and give you until to-night." "All day to call for help in!" muttered Levy, all but to himself. "Do you happen to know where you are?" Raffles asked him. "No, but I can find out." "If you knew already you would also know that you might call till you were black in the face; but to keep you in blissful ignorance you will be bound a good deal more securely than you are at present. And to spare your poor voice you will also be very thoroughly gagged." Levy took remarkably little notice of either threat or gibe. "And if I give in and sign?" said he, after a pause. "You will remain exactly as you are, with one of us to keep you company, while the other goes up to town to cash your cheque. You can't expect me to give you a chance of stopping it, you know."