“Well, then I hope that nothing happens to keep me from reaching it,” amended Leonard, smiling.
Slim chuckled. “That’s different,” he said. “I’ll guarantee the feed, General, but I won’t guarantee the guests. Ah, here you are, you lopsided old reprobate!” He pulled the missing slipper from under the further side of his bed and thrust a bare foot into it. “Guess we might as well wash up,” he announced. “No use cutting it too fine. I don’t run from trouble, but I don’t hunt for it, either, and maybe we’ll be just as well off if we get inside that restaurant before the freshies finish their supper.”
“All right,” assented Leonard. The hall was silent now and the last footfall had ceased sounding on the pavement below. He picked up his own robe and threw it over his present scanty costume. At that instant there was an impatient exclamation from Slim.
“What the dickens is the matter with this door?” Slim demanded as he turned the knob and pulled. Then, “Look here, where’s the key?” he asked blankly.
The key was always on the inside of the lock, but it plainly wasn’t there now. Slim and Leonard both looked about the floor. Then, together, they seized the knob and pulled hard. The door didn’t yield.
“Locked!” said Leonard.
Slim nodded, and a broad smile crept over his face. “Locked is right,” he chuckled. “The little varmints win the first trick, General!”
“But how? There’s been no one here!”
“Remember the fellow with the heavy tread? That’s who, I’ll bet. Got the tip from the fellow under the tree, or some other fellow, and made a lot of noise going upstairs and then came down again quiet and locked us in.”