Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-04-24
CHAPTER TX.
Another Surprise.


J Three men were in his room and
Bob found himself sitting up In bed
and blinking at them. The lights they
had turned on seemed rather bright.
"Hello!' said Bob.
Hello, yourself" said the commo-
dore in q low but nasty manner And
not So loud!"
Some sleeper, you are!" spoke
Dickie in a savage whisper.
believe he heard. all right" came
"Perverse beast, and pretended not
to-"
Bob Rugged his knees with his
arms. You've torn your pants he
observed to the commodore.
Never you mind that as guarded
ly, though no more pleasantly than be-
fore.
ooh, all right said Bob meekly.
He didn't ask any questions, nor did
he exhibit any curiosity. There
couldn't anything happen now that
would make matters much worse. But
in that, he was reckoning without
his host"
Got in the window, Of course" he
observed in low unconcerned tone,
as if their coming and being there
after midnight was the most natural
occurrence in the world. Not SO
hard to get in, with that balcony out
there All you had to do was to shin
up and then there's that trellis to
help. Good strong trellis, too. Regu-
lar Jacobs ladder! Easiest thing for
burglars! Thought you were bur.
glars" he added contemplatively.
| .'You mean you saw us?" snapped
the commodore, almost forgetting his
caution. His expression matched his
tone. He was no longer the jovial
sailorman; he wore now regular
Dick Deadeye look. To Bob's compre-
hensive glance he appeared like a
fragment in revival of Pinafore.
! "Oh, l didn't know it was you,' said
Bob.
Where were you?"
Summer house"
"Tink Of that" murmured the COM
modore. disgustedly. Bird at hand,
and we didn't know it. Fool of bird
had to hop away and make us all THIS
troubled"
II told you thought you were bur.
glars" observed Bob patiently. He
didn't care how they abused him or
what names they called him.
| That disagreeable look on Dams
face was replaced by startled one.
Good gracious, man'-only that
wasn't the expression he used
hope you haven't told any one you
saw burglars prowling around? Nice
for us If you did," AS he spoke he
gazed anxiously toward the window,
before which they had taken the pre-
caution to draw heavy drape after
entering.
mo, didn't tell soul"
But don't understand why you
didn't when you thought"
II ought to have spoken, suppose,
said Bob with melancholy smile.
But it didn't seem very important
and guess | forgot. These little
Jewel robberies are getting to be such
commonplace occurrences!
| The commodore stared at him. Then
he touched his forehead. "A lot OF
trouble you've made for u.s. he said,
speaking in that low tense voice,
while Clarence and Dickie looked on
in mad and reproachful fashion. Brib.
ed servant to tell you to slip out!
Told him to whisper that we were
waiting in the garden and simply had
to see you at once! Didn't you hear
him rap on your door,?
"No," answered Bob sorrowfully
Heavens, man! believe you'd sleep
through an earthquake and cyclone
combined. Servant came back and
told us he'd tapped on your door as
loudly as he dared Was afraid he'd
arouse the whole house If he knocked
louder. When you leave cali at
the hotels, how do they manage ?Break
down the door with an ax?"
/ Bob overlooked the sarcasm The
commodore might have thumped him