He sat and munched gloomily, until presently Goodenough joined us, looking, what with that monocle and one thing and another, as if he had just stepped out of a band-box.

“Well, Grim, the net’s all ready.  If that TNT is where you say it is, in that big barn behind the fruit-stalls near the Jaffa Gate, it’s ours the minute they make a move.”

“There isn’t a doubt on that point,” Grim answered.  “Why else should Scharnhoff open a fruit-shop?  The license for it was taken out by one of Noureddin Ali’s agents, whose brother deals in fruit wholesale and owns that barn.  Narayan Singh tracked some suspicious packages to that place four days ago.  They’ll start to carry it into the city hidden under loads of fruit just as soon as the morning crowd begins to pour in.  We only need let them get the first consignment in, so as to have the chain of evidence complete.  Are you sure your men will let the first lot go through?”

“Absolutely.  Just came from giving them very careful instructions.  The minute that first load disappears into the city they’ll close in on the barn and arrest every one they find in there.  But what are you gloomy about?”

“I’d hate to miss the big fish.”

“You mean Noureddin Ali ?”

“It looks to me as if he’s been a shade too wise for us.  One man swore he saw him on the wall this morning, but he was gone when I sent to make sure.  We’ve got all the rest.  There are five in Djemal’s Cafe, waiting for the big news; they’ll be handcuffed one at a time by the police when they get tired of waiting and come out.

“But I’d rather bag Noureddin Ali than all the others put together.  He’s got brains, that little beast has.  He’d know how to use this story against us with almost as much effect as if he’d pulled the outrage off.”

He had hardly finished speaking when Narayan Singh’s great bulk darkened the doorway.  He closed the door behind him, as if afraid the other Sikhs might learn bad news.

“It is true, sahib.  He was on the wall.  He is there again.”

“Have you seen him?”

“Surely.  He makes signals to the men who are loading the donkeys now in the door of the barn.  It would be a difficult shot.  His head hardly shows between the battlements.  But I think I could hit him from the road below.  Shall I try?”

“No, you’d only scare him into hiding if you miss.  Oh hell!  There are three ways up on to the wall at that point.  There’s no time to block them all—­not if he’s signalling now.  He’ll see your men close in on the barn, sir, and beat it for the skyline.  Oh, damn and blast the luck!”

“At least we can try to cut him off,” said Goodenough.  “I’ll take some men myself and have a crack at it.”

“No use, sir.  You’d never catch sight of him.  I wish you’d let Narayan Singh take three men, make for the wall by the shortest way, and hunt him if it takes a week.”