“All the same, inspector, I’m afraid we must risk it. Very likely we shall be free to tell you the whole story, or what we know of it, in a day or two. But we won’t tell you now. That’s flat.” “A day or two is ample time for a criminal to get away.” “Maybe; but I don’t think you need worry about that. You’ve given him enough time to get away if he wants to. In any case, we are not going to tell you. I’m sorry, but——” “I warn you that you are conspiring to defeat the ends of justice.” “Sorry, and all that. Another time, inspector, we shall look forward to an interesting talk. But for the present—Good-morning.” The inspector took the hint, and left the room in a very bad temper. His parting shot was that he must report their conduct to his official superior. “What on earth are we to do now?” said Joan. “Go and see Carter Woodman at once, I think. When we’ve done that, we shall know better how to act.” “But suppose he runs away when he hears our story—flies the country, I mean.” “Wouldn’t that be the best way out? I don’t want to see him hanged any more than you do.” “As the inspector said, we run some risk ourselves that way; but the worst of it is that the whole story is bound to come out.” “I don’t see how it can be kept secret in any case—or rather, I only see one possible way.” “What’s that?” “Wait till we’ve been to Woodman. I want to see if he will be man enough to take it.” “I don’t know what you mean. But I suppose we had better see Woodman.” “Yes, and there’s no time to lose, if the inspector is on the trail.” Joan and Ellery took a taxi, and ordered the driver to drive to Woodman’s office. But they underestimated the inspector’s promptness in action. They did not know that behind them followed another taxi, containing Inspector Blaikie and two plain-clothes detectives. Chapter XXXV An Order for Bulbs