He reached out his hand carefully and silently to the table and searched for the wallet.

It was gone! Then he heard the creak of a board and it came from the direction of the door leading to the sitting-room.

With one bound he was out of bed in time to see the door flung open and a figure slip through.

He was after it in a second.

The burglar might have escaped, but unexpectedly there was a crash and a cry.