"It was all my fault," said Sowerby guiltily. "I missed my spring when I went for the Chinaman who came out first, and he gave one yell. The old fox in the shop heard it and the fat was in the fire."
"You didn't miss your spring at me!" retort Stuart ruefully.
"No," agreed Sowerby. "I didn't mean to miss a second time!"
"What's all this row," came a gruff voice.
"Ah! Inspector Dunbar!" said Max.
Dunbar walked up the path, followed by a number of men. At first he did not observe Stuart, and:
"You'll be waking all the neighborhood," he said. "It's the next big house, Sowerby, the one we thought, surrounded by the brick wall. There's no doubt, I think … Why!"
He had seen Stuart, and he sprang forward with outstretched hand.
"Thank God!" he cried, disregarding his own counsel about creating a disturbance. "This is fine! Eh, man! but I'm glad to see you!"
"And I am glad to be here!" Stuart assured him.