1 66 Studies in Rat Catching, [ch. x. 



in that unfortunate country. Dynamite was 

 being used in London to destroy our public 

 buildings, and many of our statesmen were 

 being tracked by paid assassins. Strict 

 orders had been issued by the authorities 

 to watch all our ports to prevent the landing 

 from America of arms and infernal machines, 

 and both the police and Customs officers 

 were on the alert ; and yet, in spite of all, 

 bloodthirsty, cowardly dynamiters and assas- 

 sins succeeded in sneaking into the country, 

 and every now and then perpetrated some 

 hateful outrage. Well, it was during this 

 time that one November morning a queer- 

 looking yacht-like vessel appeared in the 

 offing, and for two days kept standing about. 

 During the day-time it was well out in the 

 offing, but once or twice at night it was 

 noticed by the coastguard and sailors to 

 have come close in to land, and altogether 

 its movements were so mysterious that our 



