Jim spoke.
"There's a string under my plate," said he, faintly puzzled. "At least, there's one end."
"Strings always have two ends," said Wally, wisely. "Where's the other?"
"I'm blessed if I know," said Jim. "It goes down to the floor."
Wally came round, investigating.
"Seems to me it goes out of the window," he said. "Guess you'd better follow it, Jimmy."
Jim looked round, a little doubtful. Then he saw Norah's face, and knew that there was something he did not understand. He laughed a little.
"Some one pulling my leg?" he asked, good-humouredly. "Oh, well, I'll chase it."
The string went somewhere—that was evident. Outside it was at the height of Jim's hand, and ran along the wall, so that it was easy to follow. They trooped after him as he went along, Norah completely unable to walk steadily, but progressing principally on one foot, while David Linton's eyes were twinkling. The chase was not a long one; the string suddenly cut across to the door in the high fence dividing the front and back gardens, and there disappeared.
"What next?" said Jim.