“You now would see my scheme, Garvan, if you were not so thick-headed,” he replied. “I’m going to abduct Clayton for about a week, with the help of these good friends of mine. I shall take his place during that time, discarding my disguise and assuming not only most of his domestic duties, but also obtain complete control of his business affairs. A week will suffice, Garvan. I can in that time get away with all of the cash, bonds, and securities he possesses, which I already know aggregate more than a million. I can get all of them, Garvan, and turn them into cash within a week. Let me alone for that.” “Oh, I see!” exclaimed Patsy. “Though Clayton is to be abducted, his private secretary is the one who will appear to have suddenly vanished.” “Exactly,” nodded Margate. “I shall become Chester Clayton long enough to get in my work. Then I will completely vanish. You can safely gamble on that.” “It’s a clever scheme, Mr. Margate,” said Patsy, as if impressed with the feasibility of the audacious scheme. “No less accomplished a man than you, nevertheless, could pull off such a job.” “I’ll make good, all right.” “Very likely.” “And in spite of Nick Carter,” Margate added, with a sneer. “I really begin to think so,” Patsy allowed, as dismally as if he really meant it. “How have you contrived to reduce Clayton’s flesh and bring him down to your weight?” “By means of a compound Busby has provided. That’s why he’s in the game. I gave him the formula, and he delivered the goods.” “How could you administer it to Clayton without his knowledge?” “Easily,” said Margate, with an evil leer. “It is tasteless and colorless. It was only necessary to inject it into Clayton’s cigars.” “Ah, I see,” said Patsy. “Very clever, Margate, indeed. I remember that you are well informed about certain kinds of drugs and poisons, chiefly those that serve your own evil ends. It strikes me, Margate, that----” “Never mind what strikes you,” snarled Busby, interrupting, after a whispered conference with Dunbar and Haley, the latter having returned a few moments before. Margate swung round in his chair. “How long is this to continue, Dave?” Busby impatiently added. “What’s to be gained by it? There’s no telling what more Carter may have up his sleeve. He already suspects enough to throw us down, if all you have said is true and he shows up to-morrow with that Philadelphia specialist. What’s to be done to head him off? I’m not so sure it can be done. You certainly are wasting time, Dave, wasting time.” Margate jerked out his watch and glanced at it. His countenance changed like a flash. “You are right, Busby,” he cried, starting up from his chair. “It can be done, all right, as I soon will show you. No ruse by Nick Carter shall foil us at this stage of the game. We already have thwarted him by getting Garvan into our clutches. This way, all of you, for half a minute. I can tell you in less time how it may be done.”