He remembered to have heard the name of Luis Kingsley before, but it was impossible for him to remember in exactly what connection; therefore, he pocketed the letter, and finding nothing further, he turned to Mauprat.
He shook him roughly by the shoulder.
"Say, are you dead, or what's the matter with you?" he demanded. "Won't you ever wake up?"
Ben raised his bleared eyes, and lifted himself upon his elbow.
"Who in thunder are you?" he inquired sleepily.
"I'm Bob Wells," answered Lowell coolly.
"Well, who's Bob Wells? I never saw you before."
"But that is no reason why you'll never want to see me again. Say, do you want to find that girl that played detective in the house where the Chandlers live?"
That was quite enough to arouse Ben Mauprat on the instant.
"What do you know of her?" he asked, rising and looking as straight as his half-drunken eyes would allow into the boy's face.