“Thank you!” and the other glanced about nervously. “You see, Carson, I’d feel a little bit safer if I had a friend in the vicinity. Of course there’s no danger, only I can’t transact my business till the morning, and——”
“Give your money to the hotel proprietor,” suggested Bully.
“Not me! I’ll keep it right on me all the time, and if I lose it, it’s my own fault. I wouldn’t trust any hotel man that ever lived!”
“Well, I dunno’s you’re wrong,” said Bully, nodding sagely. “Come along—we’ll get supper at a restaurant, if you like, then go up to the hotel.”
At this proposal the little man fluttered with conscious pride. They left the train and entered a restaurant together. Here, Bully found that his raiment created a sensation, that was highly soothing to his spirits. After supper they went to the Dobbs Hotel and registered, being given rooms directly across the hall from each other.
Bully Carson had already sent a message to Randall, informing him of his arrival and stating that he wanted to see him that evening at the hotel. He knew that his cousin would have little difficulty in evading the academy regulations about being out of the grounds after taps.
However, Bully’s thoughts were still running on that thousand dollars in cash. Reaching his room before Hostetter arrived, for the latter had paused to telephone the men with whom he was to do business, Bully covertly took the key from his own door and tried it in that across the hall.
The key worked both locks!
A few moments later the little man arrived at the room which had been assigned to him. He soon came over and knocked on Carson’s door, entering with a worried expression on his face.
“The bolt on my door is broken,” he exclaimed. “Do you think it’ll be quite safe there, or had I better get another room?”