“The warders have a private band of their own,” said the governor, “but of course I couldn’t allow the men themselves⁠—”

“Lend us the instruments,” said the chief organiser.

One of the earnest helpful friends was a skilled performer on the cornet, the cabinet ministers were able to clash cymbals more or less in tune, and the chief organiser has some knowledge of the drum.

“What tune would you prefer?” he asked Platterbaff.

“The popular song of the moment,” replied the agitator after a moment’s reflection.

It was a tune they had all heard hundreds of times, so there was no difficulty in turning out a passable imitation of it. To the improvised strains of “I didn’t want to do it” the prisoner strode forth to freedom. The word of the song had reference, it was understood, to the incarcerating government and not to the destroyer of the Albert Hall.