There was one more ring, a soft tapping, and then silence. Judith listened for a minute, then whistled softly, a clear little signal, one long and two short, like the signal ring. There was no answer. She pulled frantically at the chain, got it loose, and threw open the door.
A boy was standing on the steps, a stolid, unmoving figure, looming deceptively tall in the dark. He did not step forward or greet her. Judith put out a groping hand and caught at his shoulder.
"Is it you? Oh, I thought you had gone," she said. "I was watching for you upstairs."
"I am going. I can't come in so late."
"No, of course not."
"Then what made you watch for me?"
"I wanted to see if you came."
"Well, I did come, and now I'm going."
"You walked past the house five times."
"Eight." The boy laughed shortly, and Judith's soft laugh echoed his. "Oh, what's the use? I'm going."