unrivalled. To him Dick told all he knew.

Buckhurst looked grave.

“I know of the man, of course,” he said, “but I have never seen him and I don’t think any of my men have. We have combed Soho out pretty thoroughly, but no one answering to Barakoff’s description has been seen.”

The position was very grave. If Fedoroff’s information was correct—and Dick saw no reason to doubt it—here was a desperate scoundrel lurking in England armed with an aeroplane of unknown design and power, and in possession of a terrible secret which, unless his career was brought to an end, threatened the entire population of the country. But where was he hiding, and, above all, where was his machine? Could it possibly be hidden, Dick wondered, in the very heart of London? The idea was almost incredible, but Dick knew Barakoff’s undoubted genius and his amazing daring.

A remarkable feature of Yvette’s personality was her wonderful influence over children. They seemed literally to worship her. She would get into conversation with the half-tamed gamins of the streets and in a few hours they would be her devoted slaves. She now proceeded to enlist the ragged battalions of Soho in a fashion that caused Buckhurst much amusement.

“Find out for me all the hunchbacked men you can,” was all the instructions she gave them.

“But, mademoiselle,” said Inspector Buckhurst, “it will be the talk of Soho, and our man if he is there will slip away.”

Yvette was unmoved.

“Just think a minute,” she said. “Who can go about all day and all night without being suspected? The children. Who can go into dens where your men hardly dare to venture? The children. Who know all the hidden haunts of which your men are utterly ignorant? The children. And finally, who are the most secretive people in the world? Again the children. Do not fear, Monsieur Buckhurst, they will not talk except among themselves, and that will do no harm.”

Buckhurst was far from satisfied, but he had gained such a respect for Yvette that he did not venture to override her. At the same time, he told her plainly that he should keep his own men busy. Yvette only laughed.

During the next forty-eight hours dozens of hunchbacked men were reported. Many of them were people whom not even the police knew. They were, of course, mostly harmless, but Buckhurst opened his 

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