“Or as an able seaman?”
“Any way, so long as you get aboard,” said Nick. “That’s the most important thing we have to do at present. And you haven’t much time to do it in, either.”
“And it isn’t an easy thing to do,” said Patsy; “but I’ll start the ball rolling to-night.”
The little clock on the mantel of the room struck the hour of ten, and Chick said:
“If you are going to start the ball to-night, you’ll have to start it very soon, for it’s ten o’clock now.”
At that moment the servant entered the room with a telegram, which she handed to Chick.
Tearing off the envelope and opening the folded paper within, Chick read aloud:
“‘Am in trouble.’”
Chick hastily glanced at the top of the dispatch, and exclaimed:
“Philadelphia! The deuce! It’s from Ida.”