It was just after eight this morning when I came to, and I tell you I felt quite dazed, and horrible bad!'
'What time do you think all this happened?' I inquired.
'In the middle of the night—between two and three o'clock—I should say.'
Careful investigation which I made of the whole apparatus disclosed that nothing whatever had been interfered with—except one thing. Two wires connecting the big induction-coils had evidently been disconnected, for they had been wrongly connected up, thus showing that the strangers, whoever they had been, might have made certain experiments with our plant.
Happily, however, that big brown deal box had not been there, and I smiled within myself at the bitter disappointment which must have been theirs. In any case, our great secret was still safe.
'Well,' I said. 'You certainly had a most exciting adventure, Theed. We'll have to set a trap for these gentry in future. Just think out something, will you, and Mr. Ashton and I will help you. If they come again we might put in a little electric "juice" which will effectively stop them from meddling with our things in future. They might get a very nasty jar,' I added, laughing.
'But 'ow do you think they got hold of that duplicate key, sir?' asked the grey-haired old pensioner.
I hesitated. The whole affair was a most complete mystery, and only went to bear out Teddy's declaration that, on the night of our test, somebody must have been about and expressed sudden surprise at its astounding result.
