Ted suggested: "How about the old German? When does he come in? I suppose he has a key?"
"He's gone away till Monday!"
"I have it," ejaculated Denis; "I, even I, will climb that passage gate and effect a burglarious—oh, my prophetic soul, my—aunt!"
A voice—an awful, laughter-killing voice, smote upon their startled ears.
"So," it said, in accents hard and cold, "this is the way you behave in my absence!"
She came slowly down the steps of the next-door house. Denis strode to open the gate, hat in hand.
"How are you, Aunt Kezia? Quite an unexpected pleasure!"
Ted raised his hat.
She took no notice of either salutation.
"May I ask how you intend to enter the house?"