“What’s the row?”
“Mercy! the house must be coming down!”
“Stop that man!” yelled Bob. “He is a thief!”
At this there was a shriek from several women.
Fitt and another man rushed forward and grabbed the slim man by the arms just as he was rising to his feet.
“Let me go!” cried the sneak-thief. “That boy is crazy.”
“No, I’m not. He’s been ransacking one of the bureaus in Room 14,” returned Bob.
“My room!” cried an elderly lady. “And I left my jewels in the middle drawer. Oh, the rascal! Hold him tight!”
By this time Bob had reached the lower landing. Quite a crowd began to collect. The youth picked up the camera, and stood it out of the way of further harm, and then faced the sneak-thief, who looked decidedly uncomfortable.
“This is all a mistake, gentlemen,” he said. “That boy is the thief.”