“Why don’t you push it open?” fretfully exclaimed Mrs. Nancy Jones Black.
“The gentlemen outside object, for reasons not stated,” was the rather stolidly spoken answer.
Cattleton had taken off his hat and was going about through the company soliciting handkerchiefs.
“Drop them in, drop them in,” he urged, “I need all of them that I can get.”
He offered his hat as a contribution box as he spoke, and nearly every-one gave a handkerchief, without in the least suspecting his purpose.
When he had collected a round dozen, Cattleton crammed them all down in the crown of his hat which he then put on his head.
“Now Hal,” he said, addressing Punner, “give me a boost and I’ll make an observation through that window.”
The rain was now entirely ended and the wind had fallen still.
With Punner’s help Cattleton got up to the window and poked out his head.