As Labar and Moreland pulled themselves out of the tunnel they were confronted by a bunch of plainclothes men and uniformed police with three dejected prisoners in their midst. The Chief Constable who had gone from Mope’s Bottom with the Flying Squad men was mopping his brow with a silk handkerchief.

“You were right,” he greeted Labar. “We were just in time for a bit of a scrap.”

“What happened?” asked Labar.

“Some of our people found these men”⁠—he jerked his head towards the prisoners⁠—“skulking in a dyke. They were challenged and opened fire. A running fight took place for a while, and we were just in time to take a hand in the last part of it before they went to ground.”

“Might as well find out what they know,” whispered Moreland, and Labar nodded.