CHAPTER I

An Inaugural Banquet


Raffles had vanished from the face of the town, and even I had no
conception of his whereabouts until he cabled to me to meet the 7.31 at
Charing Cross next night. That was on the Tuesday before the 'Varsity
match, or a full fortnight after his mysterious disappearance. The
telegram was from Carlsbad, of all places for Raffles of all men! Of
course there was only one thing that could possibly have taken so rare a
specimen of physical fitness to any such pernicious spot. But to my
horror he emerged from the train, on the Wednesday evening, a cadaverous
caricature of the splendid person I had gone to meet.

"Not a word, my dear Bunny, till I have bitten British beef!" said he,
in tones as hollow as his cheeks. "No, I'm not going to stop to clear
my baggage now. You can do that for me to-morrow, Bunny, like a dear
good pal."

"Any time you like," said I, giving him my arm. "But where shall we dine?
Kellner's? Neapolo's? The Carlton or the Club?"

But Raffles shook his head at one and all.

"I don't want to dine at all," he said. "I know what I want!"

And he led the way from the station, stopping once to gloat over the
sunset across Trafalgar Square, and again to inhale the tarry scent of