"Not much," said the Captain boldly: "ball."
"Good," Luke smiled. "But don't use it. Butts are best for this work."
He decided that Forbes, well or ill, ought to know how things were going. He bent to the telephone, placing the receiver to his ear.
There was no answer. He rattled the hook impatiently.
"What's the matter with this 'phone?" he growled.
He rattled the hook again, but could get no reply.
Breil left the room. Presently he returned.
"I've tried the one in the hall," he said, "and the one in the cloth-room. The wires are cut."
For a moment nobody spoke. Facciolati's hand crept to his sword-hilt, and the sword clattered. From somewhere far up the street came a choral murmur of voices:
"Halleyloolyah, I'm a bum—bum!"