“There, there, there! That will do! I am ashamed of you! When I have satisfied myself that it is a suitable place, I will take you there—not before. When—ah!—at what time does this place open?”
“It will open early to-night, professor,” said Frank, “for this is the night after the Grand Prix, and the French horses all beat the English in the races to-day. Oh, those races, professor! And you would not let us take them in!”
“Horse racing is very immoral—very. There can be no question about that. I am not certain the Moulin Rouge is immoral, and so I am going to investigate.”
He looked at his watch, eyed the boys a moment, and then added.
“I think I will not dine at the hotel to-night. Needn’t expect me. If the Moulin Rouge is all right, I may be back for you. You are tired of sight-seeing, so it will do you good to stay in the hotel and rest. Don’t worry if I am not back till quite late. Be good, boys.”
Then the professor found his high hat and cane and walked sedately out of the room.
The moment the door was closed Ephraim leaped up and gave a kick of delight that came near bringing down the chandelier, while Frank lay back in his chair and laughed heartily but silently.
“There,” said Merriwell, “I told you I’d find a way to shake him to-night. It’s a dreadful bore to follow him around and watch him running here and there over the city, guidebook in hand, trying to find another tomb that is worth looking at. Churches and palaces and public buildings in such quantities as we have stacked up against lately are enough to give a fellow that tired feeling. Besides that, to-night is the night of nights in Paris. We didn’t get to the races, but we will go out and watch the Parisians make merry, and we will not have the professor to encumber us.”
“I’ll be hung ef yeou didn’t work it slick, Frank,” cried Ephraim, admiringly. “I didn’t think we could git rid uv him nohaow.”
“But we did, and we had better leave the hotel very soon, for fear he may change his mind and come back.”