At last, with a quick movement, he rose to his feet and took the stethoscope from his ears and the tuning fork from beneath his teeth. Then he cleared his mouth of saliva and spat twice upon the floor.
“Double nine, a nought, a seven, an eight, a six, and another nine,” he answered. “They add up to 48, and I expect you'd find that the bloke's age. It's the usual trick, and nearly everyone puts in a nought.” He made a casual movement with his arm. “Hop in, Boss, and open it.”
“Oh! what an artist!” murmured Croupin behind the settee. “Never have I watched such a great master before!”
With a dreadful beating at his heart Guildford seized hold of the handle of the safe door and turned it round, but to his consternation it did not move a hair's-breadth.
“Here, let me do it,” grinned the saf
