180It did, and in the ensuing scuffle, it not only screwed around but the top fell off, carrying three boys and an assortment of inks with it.
At the same moment, Max and Archie entered to while away an idle half-hour with the daily paper.
The big boys were prompt, but the little boys were prompter. The back door swung on its hinges and Max and Archie, puffing, ejaculating and wrathful, gave over attempts at capture for efforts at repair, Max going off to hunt up Algernon, while Archie gathered up scattered cards and mopped up the ink with dust-cloths.
Seeking Algernon, Max ran across Mrs. Osgood making calls. Hearing his tale, she went back with him to the scene of disaster, and her capable fingers soon brought about some appearance of order, though the intricacies of card systems were beyond her.
“I’d like to know who the rascals are that did it,” she said with emphasis; “and I can’t see how they got in. Where do you suppose Algernon is?”
“He caught cold yesterday,” Archie told her, “but it doesn’t seem possible that he would send down anybody who would go off and leave the place open. I saw the little Weed boy, but I didn’t know the other two. They lit out like lightning, and I didn’t care to chase them all up Main Street. I was going to the Smiths’ to have a cup of tea!” 181 Archie looked ruefully at his soiled garments and dark blue hands. “I wonder if we couldn’t get Bertha to come in here. She knows the ins and outs of all these fancy arrangements.”
“Berfa isn’t to home,” remarked a clear sweet voice from the closet. “Fat’s why I had to be liberrian!”
Max threw open the door. Elsmere, on the wood-box, was contentedly jiggling the velvet birds, which had been the first cause of all the excitement.
At the sight of Max’s angry face, he jumped up. “I got to go,” he said hastily. “I’m awful busy. Must find my cat-pussy. I losted her when she scratched me.”
“Sensible cat,” growled Archie, taking Elsmere by the collar. “I wish she had losted you. Here, Mrs. Osgood, this seems to be the key to the mystery. At least it’s the key to something.” He lifted the key dangling from Elsmere’s blouse.