Evening star., 1921-05-03
Bulldog Drummond
BY CYRIL McNEIIE ('Sapper")
A Novel Of Mystery, Love and Adventure.
h. Doranc COL

pletely sdead was his body from the
er what seemed an eternity to Drum
mond. who realized only too well that
should the gang come in they were
almost as helpless in their present
condition as if they were still bound
in their chairs, the other two recov-
cramped-ail three of them-but at
any rate they could move; which was
more than could be said of the Ger
man, who lay twisted and rigid on the
floor. with his eyes staring up at
, them-a CLASSY. horrible stare.
Poor brute" said Hugh again,
looking at him with a certain amount
of compunction. He was miserable
specimen-but still . :" He shrug-
ged his shoulders. And the contents
of my cigarette case are half dozen
gaspers, and ten-bob Bradbury
patched together with stamp paper"
He swung round on his heel as if
dismissing the matter. and looked at
the other two.
"All fit now? Good We've got to
think what were going to do, for
| were not out of the wood yet by two
or three miles"
Lets get the door OPEN" remarked
Algy, "and explore"
| Cautiously they swung it open, and
stood motionless. The house was in
dDsoIute Sllence, the halI was desert
ed.
! Switch out the light" whispered
Hugh. Well wander round"
They crept forward stealthily in the
darkness, stopping every now and
then to listen. But no sound came to
their ears; it might have been house
of the dead.
Suddenly Drummond, who was in
/ front of the other two, stopped with a
warning hiss. A light was streaming
out from under door at the end of
a Passage, and, as they stood watch
ing 1t. they heard a mans voice COM
ing from the same room. Some one
else answered him, and then there was
silence once more.
AT length Hugh moved forward
| again. and the others followed And
it was not until they got quite close
TO the door that strange. continuous
! noise began to be noticeable-a noise
winch came most distinctly from the
lighted room. 1t rose and fell with
monotonous regularity; at times it
resembled brass band-at others
II dled away to a gentle murmur
And occasionally it was punctuated
with a stranglcd snort.
Great Scott" muttered Hugh. ex-
citedly, the whole boiling bunch are
asleep or I'll eat my hat"
Then who was it who spoke?" said
A!gy. AT least two of 'em are awake
right enough"
And, as if in answer to his oues-
ton, there came the voice again from
inside the room.
wall, Mr.. Darrell, I guess we can
pass on and leave this bunch"
With one laugh of joyful amaze
ment Hugh flung open the door, and
found himself looking from the range
OF yard into two revolvers.
Il don't know how you've done it,
boys he remarked. but you can
put those guns away. ! hate looking
at them from that end"
What the devil have they done to
all your dials?" said Darrell, slowly
lowering his arm.
"We'H leave that for the time"
door.
There are other more pressing
matters to be discussed"
He glanced round the room, and a
SLOW grin spread over his face. There
were twenty of the gang, all of them
fast asleep. They sprawled gro
, tesqueiy over the table, they lolled in
chairs; they lay on the floor they
huddled in corners. And. without ex-
ceptlon, they snored and snorted.
"a dandy bunch" remarked the
American, gazing at them with salts
faction. That fat one in the corner
took enough dope to kill bull, but
he seems quite happy" Then he
turned to Drummond. Say now,
captain. we've got lorry load of the
boys outside; your friend here
thought wed better bring 'em along
SO it's up to you to get busy"
"Mullings and his crowd" said Dar-
rell. seeing the look of myst1fcation
on Hugh's face. When Mr.. Green
got back and told me you'd showed
your great mutton-head in it again
I thought I'd better bring the whole
outfit"
''Oh, you daisy" cried Hugh, rub
bing his hands togethrr, you pair
Of priceless beans. The Philistines
are delivered into our hands, even up
to the neck"
For few moments he stood, deep
in thought; then once again the grin
spread slowly over his face Plight
up to their necks." he repeated, 80
that it washes round their back
teeth Get the boys in, Peter; and
get these Jumps of meat carted out
to the lorry. And. while you do that.
we'll go upstairs and mop up"
Ill
| Even In his widest dreams Hugh
! had never imagined such a wonder
fui opportunity. To be in complete