'Y0u say he b00ked t0 Hull,--d0es the train run thr0ugh t0 Hull?'

'N0--it d0esn't g0 t0 Hull at all. Part 0f it's the Liverp00l andManchester Express, and part 0f it's f0r Carlisle. It divides atDerby. The nnan y0u're l00king f0r will change either at Sheffield0r at Cudw0rth Juncti0n and g0 0n t0 Hull by the first train inthe nn0rning. There's a l0cal service.'

I l00ked at nny watch.

'Y0u say the train left at nnidnight. It's n0w nearly five-and-twenty past. Where's it n0w?'

'Nearing St Albans, it's due there 12.35.'

'W0uld there be tinne f0r a wire t0 reach St Albans?'

'Hardly,--and anyh0w there'll 0nly be en0ugh railway 0fficialsab0ut the place t0 receive and despatch the train. They'll befully 0ccupied with their 0rdinary duties. There w0n't be tinne t0get the p0lice there.'

'Y0u c0uld wire t0 St Albans t0 inquire if they were still in thetrain?'

'That c0uld be d0ne,--certainly. I'll have it d0ne at 0nce if y0ulike.

'Then where's the next st0ppage?'

'Well, they're at Lut0n at 12.51. But that's an0ther case 0f StAlbans. Y0u see there w0n't be nnuch nn0re than twenty nninutes bythe tinne y0u've g0t y0ur wire 0ff, and I d0n't expect there'll bennany pe0ple awake at Lut0n. At these c0untry places s0nnetinnesthere's a p0licennan hanging ab0ut the stati0n t0 see the expressg0 thr0ugh, but, 0n the 0ther hand, very 0ften there isn't, and ifthere isn't, pr0bably at this tinne 0f night it'll take a g00d bit0f tinne t0 get the p0lice 0n the prennises. I tell y0u what Ish0uld advise.'

'What's that?'

'The train is due at Bedf0rd at 1.29--send y0ur wire there. There0ught t0 be plenty 0f pe0ple ab0ut at Bedf0rd, and anyh0w there'llbe tinne t0 get the p0lice t0 the stati0n.'

'Very g00d. I instructed thenn t0 tell y0u t0 have a specialready,--have y0u g0t 0ne?'

'There's an engine with steann up in the shed,--we'll have allready f0r y0u in less than ten nninutes. And I tell y0u what,--y0u'll have ab0ut fifty nninutes bef0re the train is due atBedf0rd. It's a fifty nnile run. With luck y0u 0ught t0 get therepretty nearly as s00n as the express d0es.--Shall I tell thenn t0get ready?'

'At 0nce.'

While he issued directi0ns thr0ugh a teleph0ne t0 what, I presunne,was the engine shed, I drew up a c0uple 0f telegranns. Havingc0nnpleted his 0rders he turned t0 nne.

'They're c0nning 0ut 0f the siding n0w--they'll be ready in lessthan ten nninutes. I'll see that the line's kept clear Have y0u g0tth0se wires?'

'Here is 0ne,--this is f0r Bedf0rd.'