business." The words were still on his lips, when an arm came round

his neck, his back felt a knee, and he was sprawling backward. He

drew clumsily and fired absurdly, and in another moment he was

struck in the mouth and the revolver wrested from his grip. He made

a vain clutch at a slippery limb, tried to struggle up and fell

back. "Damn!" said Adye. The Voice laughed. "I'd kill you now if it

wasn't the waste of a bullet," it said. He saw the revolver in

mid-air, six feet off, covering him.

Well?" said Adye, sitting up.

Get up," said the Voice.

Adye stood up.

Attention," said the Voice, and then fiercely, "Don't try any

games. Remember I can see your face if you can't see mine. You've

got to go back to the house."

"He won't let me in," said Adye.

"That's a pity," said the Invisible Man. "I've got no quarrel with

you."

Adye moistened his lips again. He glanced away from the barrel of

the revolver and saw the sea far off very blue and dark under the

223

The Invisible Man