He stood a moment or two hardly knowing what to do. Then he said:
“I don’t think there’s any use going up there. I had better go down and watch for them to come out.”
He went as far as the head of the stairs with this intention when he stopped, saying almost aloud:
“But what was it that tickled Spike so down in Thirty-fourth Street. He didn’t shake hands with himself because he knew his aunt was at home this morning.”
He stood still a moment thinking and again spoke aloud:
“But, mebbe it was Lannigan coming to Forty-second Street that threw them off.”
He made another motion as if to go down the stairs, but halted.
He was debating what to do. But the matter was settled for him at this instant.
The door on the second floor opposite where he stood was suddenly opened and a rather flashily dressed young girl of nineteen or twenty appeared. Casting a glance at Patsy, she gave a cry and, jumping backward, closed the door instantly.
Before Patsy could recover from his surprise the door was swung open and a tough-looking young man came into the hall, demanding in rough tones to know what he was doing there.