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" Well," said Gordon, "what do we do next?"

"The first thing," said Carmichael, "is to shut up this hole again exactly as it was. The next thing is to discuss what we do next. And, Reeves, I think it might be best if you went on playing for a little."

"If music be the food of detection," agreed Gordon, "play on. Give us excess of it, that surfeiting the mysterious gentleman behind the panelling may sicken, and so die. Well, he can't have come through that hole, can he?"

"No," said Carmichael, "but there's certain to be another catch just inside which will open the secret door. You see, that hole is obviously for a man to put his arm through. And as the arm-hole opens from this side, the catch of the door will clearly open from the other. But, just personally, I don't very much want to open that door without, considering first what we're going to find on the other side. Is the man armed, for example? Is there likely to be another opening he can escape through? I confess to an aversion from taking any risks."