Transvedia house next door Valerie and John, watching this panto- mime through a concealed periscope, smiled grimly. The would-be kidnappers had arrived just a little too late too late to catch their quarry, and too late to forestall the police who, by using the underbed elevat- or, were now inside the house, silently waiting to catch the intruders red-handed. As John and Valerie watched, furniture vans arrived at both front and back entrances to the house next door.

There was a brief lull, then the sound of scuff- ling, and the "doctor" appeared suddenly, hurtling out past the front door, which he slammed in the face of a pursuing policeman. However, his feet, encounter- ing the ball-bearings, flew grotesquely upwards; his elegant torso plunged downwards; and before he could recover he was pounced on by half a dozen of the con- stabulary who had tumbled from the furniture van. His case was now hopeless. Shrugging, he allowed himself to be handcuffed, and was soon joined by the bogus nurse and the ersatz ambulance-men, also safe in cus- tody. When the quartet of would-be kidnappers had been driven off in the furniture-vans (which were real- ly camouflaged police vans) Valerie turned to John:

"So far so good. But we're not nearly finished We haven't caught the ringleader. We'll have to find a new bait."

yet.

Young Caravelle asked: "Then they'll still be after me?"

"I'm afraid so. But they won't find you, because you're going to disappear for a time. We'll use Jenny Louise instead."

"Jenny Louise? Is she another government agent?"

11

"She will be, said Valerie, with a slight smile. "At least, I hope so."

Dr. Caravelle said slowly: "Well I'll be glad to be out of it for a while; it's not much fun being the object of a kidnapping gang's affections. But these people are pretty dangerous, aren't they? Do you

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