Skippy took the paper smilingly but did not stop for further conversation. He wasn’t taking any chances and he hurried downstairs again before Frost could think it over and perhaps recall him.
For an hour, Skippy scribbled and wrote all over one sheet of the paper. The other piece of paper along with a pencil of his own he carefully concealed under his belt. And, when the game of rummy was broken up around midnight, the boy had torn his scribbling sheet into a hundred bits and scattered it on the table. Then when they went upstairs, he returned the pencil to Frost.
Fifteen minutes later, he saw the rim of light disappear from under the door jamb and he knew that Frost had blown out his lantern and was going to bed. He waited breathlessly then and after some minutes got out of bed and tiptoed to the door where he listened intently.
It was some time before he was rewarded with the sound of Frost’s first labored snore. Then he roused Fallon.
“Don’t make a sound, Nick,” he whispered.
“I won’t, kid!” Nickie murmured sleepily. Then he sat up. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m gonna write a note, Nickie—I’ll tell you why after. What I want you to do is go over to the door an’ listen for Frost’s snore. If he stops, gimme the high sign. I’m gonna light the lantern an’ take it over by the window. The light won’t show into the hall from there.”
“Good dope, kid,” Nickie agreed, stepping out onto the floor. “But what you gonna write with, hah? You gave Frost back the pencil.”
Skippy winked. “I got my own, but I didn’t wanna make him suspicious. I wanted some paper so’s I could write this note tonight when I got the chance. If I didn’t ask for a pencil, then he’d know I had one—get me? I tore up the one sheet I scribbled on—tore it up in a lotta pieces so’s he could see it. He won’t know whether it’s one or two sheets of his paper that I used an’ I’m takin’ a chance he thinks it’s the two sheets. Anyway, I don’t think he’ll give it a thought that I held back the other sheet ’cause I give him back the pencil.”
“Kid, there’s no mud on you,” said Nickie admiringly. “Get the lantern an’ write your note. I’ll listen an’ if I hear a peep outa him, I’ll cough—see?”