"Well, I had my name half written when these crazy people made me think the house was on fire or something. I'll go back in now and sign, if it ain't too late. Mr. Carter said—"
"Carter, hey!" said Speedy sharply. "Where is he?"
"In the house."
"Great!" Speedy turned to his cohorts and waved them toward him. "Come on, you wild men. Carter's in Pop's house. Let's get him!"
With a whoop they poured up onto the sidewalk, King Tut barking in the front rank and Speedy rushing ahead of them all. Pop had barely time to step out of the way. But their prey had been too quick for them. Realizing he was beaten, Carter had deemed flight the better part of valor and long since disappeared out of the back door and over a neighbor's fence. Nevertheless, Speedy, not satisfied that the enemy was really off the premises, made a rigid search of the house.
In the room Carter had occupied as a boarder he found the closet door locked. Pop Dillon was now close at his heels.
"I bet he's in here!" exulted Speedy. "He's locked himself in. Got a key to this closet?"
Pop extracted a bunch of keys from his pocket almost as great in number as the turnkey of Sing Sing carries. He indicated one of them. Speedy took it and excitedly thrust it into the lock of the closet door. He swung the door open, ready to deal a resounding blow to the chin of Carter if he were discovered inside.
