"I dropped the lantern," resumed Tom, "and staggered back. Just then a——"
"Half dozen policemen entered the front door just as Patrick and the supposed Mike reached the bottom of the stairs," broke in Bill, taking up the thread of his story. "Well, when the Irish coppers saw Pat with the monk hanging around his neck they thought the old Nick had him. They started to run, but the old woman reached the lower floor in time to see both Mike and the monkey. She grabbed a broom, but the monk slipped through the front door, and——"
"That's the end of your story. And a good job it is too," remarked Tom.
"It is better than having no end," retorted Bill. "You spin out a yarn to beat the band."
"It's getting late," spoke up "Hod," yawning. "If you fellows are going to chew the rag all night I——"
"Only a word more," interrupted Tom. "As I staggered back I fell into the arms of the nurse, who had come down to see what kept me. I explained in a hurry, and he lit a match. We both went in and discovered——"
"Sh-h-h! Get out of here, you fellows," suddenly spoke up a voice at the door on the starboard side. "Here comes 'Cutlets'!"
There was a scramble for the opposite door, and in much less time than is taken in the telling, the wheel-house was empty. We huddled in the shadows for a moment; then dodged forward. As we reached the hatch I heard the "Kid" ask Tom:
"Say, what was it you saw? Tell a fellow, won't you?"
"Two brass knobs on an old chest," was the calm reply.