"What's that?" asked Miles, in his ordinary tone of voice, as his companion raised a sheet of sand-paper, and brought to light the article Stuart had placed there a few minutes before.
"Say not a word," cautioned Sam, "but come with me and I'll tell you all about it."
"Don't you fellows know that it is very rude to whisper in the presence of a third party?" said Oscar gravely. "I am surprised at you. You did it while Stuart was in here, and I should like to know what you mean by it."
"We didn't want either of you to know what we were talking about," answered Sam. "I wouldn't have treated him as well as you did, and I don't think you would have been quite so cordial if you knew as much as we know," he added, with a significant glance at Miles.
"Oh, that's the trouble, is it? Never mind. We were not put here in this world to quarrel with everybody who doesn't like us. If we did that, we'd have time for little else. You are not going?" said Oscar, as Sam started for the door, with Miles close at his heels.
"Yes, we are. We have some business that must be attended to at once. I'll see you again before I go home."
Sam banged the door as he ceased speaking, and walked through the yard so rapidly that Miles could hardly keep pace with him.
When he had closed the gate behind him, he turned down the sidewalk and hurried on faster than ever.
"Hold up here," protested Miles. "You said you would tell me all about it, and how are we going to talk if you go ahead with railroad speed? What was it you took out of that drawer, and what business had you to touch it? I thought it was a pocket-book."