"That's how you were sure it was me, is it?"
"Thot wur wan way. Fer another, Oi hearrud yer voice, an' ye don't suppose Oi wouldn't know thot av Oi should hear it astraddle av th' North Pole, do yez?"
"Well, I am sure I knew your voice the moment I heard it, and the sound gave no small amount of satisfaction."
The boys now hurried back along the narrow passage, and soon reached the doorway by which they had entered.
The procession had passed on, and the great crowd of people had melted from the street.
As soon as they were outside the passage, Barney explained that he had arrived in town that night, and had hurried to the St. Charles Hotel, but had found Professor Scotch in bed, and Frank gone.
"Th' profissor was near scared to death av me," said Barney. "He wouldn't let me in th' room till th' bellboy had described me two or thray toimes over, an' whin Oi did come in, he had his head under th' clothes, an', be me soul! I thought by th' sound that he wur shakin' dice. It wuz the tathe av him chattering togither."
Frank was convulsed with laughter, while Barney went on:
"'Profissor,' sez Oi, 'av it's doice ye're shakin', Oi'll take a hand at tin cints a corner.'"
"What did he do then?"