“You will sit at my right, Mr. Hood, and Mr. Tuck by my father on the other side.”
Deering pinched himself to make sure he was awake. The next instant the room whirled, and he clutched the back of his chair for support. A girl came into the room and walked quickly to the seat beside him.
“Mr Hood and Mr. Tuck, my daughter——”
She hesitated, and the girl laughingly ejaculated: “Pierrette!”
“Sit down, won’t you, please,” said the little lady; but Deering stood staring open-mouthed at the girl.
Beyond question, she was the girl of the Little Dipper; there was no mistaking her. At this point the old gentleman afforded diversion by rising and bowing first to Hood and then to Deering.
“I am Pantaloon,” he said. “My daughter is Columbine, as you may have guessed.”
“It’s very nice to see you again,” Pierrette remarked to Deering; “but, of course, I didn’t know you would be here. How goes the burgling?”
“I—er—haven’t got started yet. I find it a little difficult——”
“I’m afraid you’re not getting much fun out of the adventurous life,” she suggested, noting the wild look in his eyes.