_Mr. Toppel_. Now that we have the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Chief Justice, and the President of the Divorce Division, securely locked up together in the attic, _and gagged_, we may, I think, congratulate ourselves on the success of our proceedings so far! We are, I am sure, quite agreed as to there having been no other course open to us than to imitate our Sicilian brethren of the robe, and take to a little mild brigandage, considering the awful decay of legal business and our own destitute condition. (_Sympathetic cries of Hear, hear! from the Chancery Barrister, and the two Starving Juniors._) I have no doubt that a few hours spent in our attic will induce the High Legal Dignitaries I have mentioned (_laughter_) to pay up the modest ransom we demand, and to take the additional pledge of secresy. Meanwhile, I propose that these sixteen excellent gentlemen should re-enter the private Pirate Bus' which is waiting down-stairs, and see whether the Master of the Rolls could not be--er--"detained _in transitu_" (_more laughter_) while proceeding to his Court. It would be best, perhaps, as Lord ESHER belongs to the Equity side, for our friend here of the Chancery Bar to accommodate him in _his_ Chambers. _Chancery Barrister_ (_alarmed_). But I have only a basement! _Mr. Toppel_ (_calmly_). A basement will do very well. (_To the sixteen Masked Men_). You will probably find Lord ESHER somewhere about Chancery Lane. Impress on him that our fee in his case is a thousand guineas; _or_--both ears lopped off! [_Exeunt the Sixteen._ _First Junior_. I went upstairs just now, in order to see how our distinguished prisoners were getting on. The CHANCELLOR, I regret to say, seemed dissatisfied with the bread and water supplied to him, and asked for "necessaries suitable to his status." He appeared inclined to argue the point; so I had to gag him again. _Mr. Toppel_. Quite right. You might have told him that he is now governed by the _lex loci_, and that we shall reluctantly have to send little pieces of him to his friends--I believe that is the "common form" in brigand circles--if he persists in refusing the ransom. How does the LORD CHIEF JUSTICE bear it? _Second Junior_. Not well. The attic window is, fortunately, barred, but I found him trying to--in fact, to _disbar_ it--(_laughter_)--and to attract the attention of a passer-by. He is now secured by a chain to a strong staple. _Mr. Toppel_. I suppose he is not disposed to make the assignment to us of half his yearly salary, which we suggested? _Second Junior_. Not yet. He even threatens, when liberated, to bring our conduct under the notice of the Benchers.