“At least,” she returned weakly, “I never made him believe he saw anything under there.”
“Nor I,” he hastened to explain. “That is what bothered us both; we couldn’t find anything.”
“Perhaps,” she observed sarcastically. “Perhaps you wish to enter a complaint against John.”
At this moment John himself entered with the coffee.
“John,” announced Barnes, “I beg to report that the Thing is gone. Pouf!” he snapped his fingers. “All gone.”
“You really thinks so?” stammered John.
“I’ll give you a dollar for every time you find him after this,” agreed Barnes.
“Lord, sir, I wouldn’t find him for a hundred.”
“Then we’ll let him go. As a matter of fact it got too hot for him around here. He’s used to a colder climate.”
“That’s good, sir. I hope you sleeps better at night for it.”