The Last Laugh
up Silver Street, a little tacking west and south, a plunge across High Street, and presently we were home.
"Pyjamas first," said Raffles, with as much authority as though it mattered. It was a warm night, however, though September, and I did not mind until I came in clad as he commanded to find the autocrat himself still booted and capped. He was peeping through the blind, and the gas was still turned down. But he said that I could turn it up, as he helped himself to a cigarette and nothing with it.
"May I mix you one?" said I.
"No, thanks."
"What's the trouble?"
"We were followed."
"Never!"
"You never saw it."
"But you never looked round."
"I have an eye at the back of each ear. Bunny."
I helped myself and I fear with less moderation than might have beeen the case a minute before.
"So that was why——"
"That was why," said Raffles, nodding; but he did not smile, and I put down my glass untouched.
"They were following us then!"
"All up Palace Gardens."
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