On the 4th, Mr. Birket Rivers, a cadet member of the Burglars' Club, received an intimation that his entrance fee could be paid on the 13th by the production of the insignia of the Order which the Prince was bringing with him. On the evening of the 8th, John Parker, a footman in the employ of Lord Denton, called by request on Mr. Rivers at his rooms in the Albany. "You wished to see me, sir?" "Ah, Parker, how are you getting on?" "Very well, thank you, sir." "You are going to have great times, Parker. When does Lord Denton leave?" "To-morrow, sir." "Are all the servants staying behind?" "Only about half of us, sir. The Persians bring their own cooks and men." "Quite so. Are you remaining?" "Yes, sir." "Good. I want you to let me take your place." Parker opened his eyes very wide. "Beg pardon, sir," he said, feeling sure he had misunderstood the last remark. "I want to take your place as footman in Denton House while the Persians are there. If you will help me to do so, Parker, there's ten pounds for you." Parker scratched his head. "I should like the ten pounds, sir; but I don't see how I'm to get it. They'd never mistake you for me, sir, though we are about the same build. Mr. Bradshaw would spot the difference at once." "Who is Mr. Bradshaw?" "The butler, sir. He's pretty well left in charge of the house." "Listen, Parker. The Prince comes the day after to-morrow. At eleven o'clock in the morning of that day you've got to be taken ill. Tell Bradshaw you can't work, and you think it's something infectious. Tell him that your cousin, James Finny, who is only staying on with me till he hears of a place, would jump at the job. Send me word, and I will turn up at once." "Mr. Bradshaw might know you, sir." "I don't think so. I've never been at the house. Besides, I shall shave off my moustache. Anyway, Parker, I'll take care you lose nothing by it, even if I should be found out." John Parker left a quarter of an hour later, ten pounds richer than he came. In his pocket he carried a letter which eventually reached Mr. Rivers by special messenger at noon on the 10th. It ran: DEAR JAMES,--Come immediately. I am ill, and Mr. Bradshaw says you can take my place.--Your loving cousin, JOHN PARKER. With his moustache shaved off, and attired in a painfully respectable ready-made suit, Rivers presented himself at Denton House at one o'clock. He found Mr. Bradshaw in a highly-wrought condition. "So you're Parker's cousin? A pretty mess he's landed me in!" "I hope he's not very bad, sir." "I hope he is. I hope he'll die," said Mr. Bradshaw vengefully. "You've lived with Mr. Rivers?" "Yes, sir." "Can you announce visitors?" "Yes, sir." "Go to that door, and announce the Lord Mayor." Rivers--or, rather, James Finny--flung open the door, and announced in stentorian accents, "His Worship the Lord Mayor of London."