Undaunted by this threat, Tom mounted the stairs two steps at a time. As he did so he heard Merrick go up a second flight and then a third.
"Must think he can hide on the roof," thought Tom. "Well, I'll corner him if I can."
As Tom ran through the hallway on the third floor a door opened and an old woman confronted him.
"What do yez want here?" she demanded, in strong Irish accents.
"I am after a thief," answered Tom.
"A thafe! Sure an' there's no thafe in this house."
"He just ran in here from the street."
"Bedad, is that true now? Where did he go to?"
"I don't know. How do you get to the roof?"
"Be the laddher at the back av the hall."