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 has caused a terrible sensation at Hendon, I can tell you.'

In an instant the recollection of that podgy man, with those black eyes set askew, crossed my mind.

Yes. After all, sight of him had been an omen of evil. Hitherto I had scorned any such idea, but now I certainly had positive proof that one might have a precursor of misfortune. I deeply regretted the accident to my Breguet for, not knowing the true extent of the damage, I began to despair of bringing our secret experiments to a satisfactory issue.

'Look here, Claude,' Teddy said at last, bending over me and speaking in a low tone. 'Has it struck you as rather peculiar that the appearance of those strangers at Gunnersbury should have been followed so quickly by this accident of yours?'

'By Jove! no!' I gasped, as the true import of his words became instantly impressed upon me. 'We have enemies, Teddy—you and I—without a doubt. We've made a discovery which is destined to upset the enemy's plans—therefore they want to wipe us, and all our knowledge, out of existence. That's what you mean—isn't it?'

My chum nodded in the affirmative.

'That's exactly what I do mean,' he said in a hard, meaning tone.

'Then my accident was due to treachery!' I cried angrily. 'We must discover how it was all arranged.'

'Yes. Somebody, no doubt, tampered with your machine,' Teddy declared very gravely. 'Because