"That American boy is going to have a busy life bumping off aspiring corespondents some day," he murmured idly.
"What were you doing — on drain pipes?"
"Birds-nestin'."
"Simon!"
"All right, teacher. If you want to know, I'm going into the plumbing trade, and I wanted to do my studies on the cheap."
She stood up impatiently; and Simon laughed, and pulled her down again by a hand which he had not released.
Absent-mindedly, he kissed the hand.
"Thank you."
"Not at all," said the Saint politely. "Look here, will you believe me if I swear that Scotland Yard was robbed the night before last, and I didn't do my drain-piping till last night — or rather the small hours of this morning?"
She looked him puzzledly in the eyes.