“Would you be kind enough to let me look at it?”
“Certainly,” returned Number Two, with an obliging air, as he descended the stairs.
“Perhaps,” suggested Number One, “you are in a hurry, and—”
“O, no,” replied Number Two; “not at all. I intend to take passage on the boat, and I can go up to the office at any time and pay my fare.” And he handed Number One the lock.
“I believe I heard you say,” observed Number One, as he began to inspect it, “that this is your own invention.”
“It is,” replied Number Two.
“Have you a patent for it?”
“Yes, it was patented but lately.”
The deck-hands and several passengers, who happened to be strolling about the lower deck, now collected around and gazed on the lock with curious eyes.
“Did I understand you to say,” queried Number One, “that no key is used to open the lock?”