Allan joined in the detective’s laugh, until the man in the little window to the right of the entrance looked over at them with a scowl.
“The drinking tap.”
Dobbs appeared to be greatly taken with the idea, and for a few moments Allan feared that he might suggest carrying it out. But presently they left the region of the museums, and Allan changed the subject by catching a group at the drinking tap in front of the Young Men’s Institute. Then the detective and Allan came to the shooting-galleries where wooden deer and green lions were ceaselessly jumping, and silvery balls were rising and falling on jets of water until shattered by some successful marksman.
“Here’s a chance,” said Dobbs, “to get some of those queer things in animal locomotion. The great advantage here, though, would be that no matter when you caught the deer and lions, their legs would always look perfectly natural. That would be a big advantage. I don’t like these snap pictures that show the horses standing on one foot with their hind legs twisted.” Below Grand street, in front of a clothing store, they found five men standing at the curb, each supporting a huge wooden letter. When Allan stepped into the street to read the letters from the front, he found that they spelled “P-A-N-T-S.” A “Great Pants Sale” was in progress here. Other sales were in progress at every step of their walk.
“Isn’t it almost time to eat?” asked Dobbs. “I know a joint here where you can get the best steak in New York.”
The “joint” was across the street, and Dobbs saluted the proprietor cheerily as they walked in. Allan was too much stirred up by the sights and sounds out of doors and the whirr and clatter of this “quick lunch” indoors to eat much. When they had finished Allan wished to share the bill.
“A Great Pants Sale.”
“But there isn’t any bill,” said Dobbs; which seemed to be true, for, as they passed out, Dobbs merely nodded again to the proprietor. “I once did that fellow a great big favor,” said Dobbs, “and so my money wouldn’t go in there—nor yours either if you were with me.”