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it. I don’t like it one little bit.’ He paused and again spoke to Holmes, and was overheard by us all to say, ‘I don’t know how you have managed in such a short number of weeks to set up this demonstration, but I must congratulate you. However, I had only wished that this... Rodger Hardy’s “Transposer” thing was...’ He paused and his countenance took on that old worried look... ‘Yes, a fraud, a fake, and that it was all only a huge confidence trick for him to make easy money. This contraption will cause more problems to our national security than it will ever help. I predict it will begin an era of upheaval and uncertainty.’
    Holmes smiled and replied, ‘I should not make a judgement yet, Prime Minister; the demonstration I have put on is not yet over by a long chalk.’ He chuckled, ‘The best is yet to come.’
    Lord Bellinger looked at Holmes with displeasure. He was not used to such cavalier repartee, especially in front of his ministers. He guessed Holmes was having a private joke at his expense, but the bait Holmes had thrown him and his attitude, although flippant, was not to be ignored.
    Lord Bellinger drew himself up and gave Holmes his most scathing look. ‘I do not quite understand that remark, Mr Holmes. If you have more to disclose, please do so.’ I looked at Holmes and detected in his face the expression that he realised he had overstepped the mark with the elder statesman, and was duly chastened.
    Unsmiling now, Holmes replied. ‘Yes, I have further facts to disclose, and I hope more pleasing to you, Prime Minister. If you would be so good as to follow me and return to the old workshops again, I will reveal them.’
    We took our seats once again in the four-wheelers. I noticed the puzzled looks on the faces of the policemen. Why, they must have wondered, should the Prime Minister and some of his Cabinet come to such a derelict part of London, to observe a lighter moored on the Thames at the bottom of some old steps? Knowing policemen and their habits, they had no doubt sneaked a look to try and discover what it was all about.
    The Cabinet ministers sharing the four-wheeler with me didn’t discuss matters, they seemed rather overawed by the whole affair. I was later to learn they had only become privy to the details a few days before and were still trying to digest the implications it could have on national security.
    In no time at all we had arrived back at the old workshops. We filed in through the doorway, Holmes leading, followed by the Prime Minister, Sir Simon, the Cabinet ministers and myself, the policemen standing around outside on the pavement.
    We entered the first workshop again where we had inspected the lighter. The lighter was gone. Only the wooden poles supporting the strands of copper wire remained.
    Although we had only just left the little vessel tied up by the steps, it was still a shock to find it missing. I know I looked around at the windows and the roof confirming to myself the impossibility of taking out the vessel. We all tried to understand how the ‘Transposer’ was able to accomplish this miracle.
    Lord Bellinger looked at Holmes and his expression said, ‘Yes, I expected the place to be empty; we have just left it tied up on the Thames, so what are these new revelations?’
    Holmes read the expression too. ‘If you will follow me, sir.’ Holmes led us out again along a passageway to the third workshop, ignoring the middle workshop.
    The third workshop was identical in every way to the first one we had been in, but it was a shock to see the little vessel back again, just as in the first workshop, surrounded by wooden posts and copper wire.
    I think we were all nonplussed at the turn of events. We seemed to be in a sort of Alice in Wonderland situation. Before anyone, even Lord Bellinger, could comment, Holmes said, ‘Please, sir, gentlemen, would you follow me?’
    The expression upon all our faces was one of utter confusion. As we followed Holmes up