“Look here,” said Frank, “I want to know the name of the man who occupies No. 231, this room next to mine.”
“What is the matter?” asked the watchman.
“This person has disturbed me,” said Frank, truthfully. “I am not going to raise a kick about it to-night, but I shall report it to the clerk in the morning.”
“Does he snore loudly?” inquired the watchman. “I didn’t think you could hear through those partitions.”
“Here,” said Frank, who had seen the watchman before, “you know me. My name is Merriwell. I haven’t a cent in these pajamas, but I’ll give you two dollars in the morning if you will go down to the office, look on the register, find out who occupies No. 231, and come back here and tell me.”
Now it happened that Frank had given the watchman fifty cents the night before to do something for him, and so the man was persuaded to go down to the office, although it is quite probable that he did not expect to see the promised two dollars in the morning.
Frank waited.
The watchman came back after a time.
“Well,” asked Merry, “did you look on the register and find out the name of the man who was given No. 231?”
“I did,” nodded the watchman.