But Pennington did not wait to hear any more. He had risen, and his grasp on Morgan’s arm was like that of a vise.
“Let’s get out of this, Dutchman,” he said.
Morgan followed him out of the room. Pennington stalked through the corridors at a pace he found it difficult to keep up with, and through the office, where Mr. Burroughs, the proprietor, was reading the London Times of the week before. He glanced at the two with the air of a man who has long since ceased trying to account for American idiosyncrasies, and then resumed his reading. At the hotel entrance Pennington brought up against a man who was coming in out of the darkness; the force of the impact, and the heavy blow of the travelling-case against the knees, would have been sufficient to stun an ordinary mortal.
But Mr. Keegan was not an ordinary mortal. He waived Pennington’s apologies, saluted him, and then thrust his hands into his pockets with his customary nonchalance. Both Pennington and Morgan stood regarding him in no little surprise, and waited for him to speak. Mr. Keegan rolled his tobacco from one cheek to the other, and surveyed them with deliberation.
“You’re the very gentleman I’m lookin’ for, Mr. Pennington,” he said at length; “but I weren’t expectin’ to run again’ you so soon.” This was literal, if nothing else.
“Neither was I, Keegan, to tell the truth,” replied Pennington, smiling in spite of himself as he picked up the travelling-case. “I was sorry you were not on board when I left the ship,” he added, “for I wanted to see you before I went.”
Mr. Keegan evidently thought this speech perfunctory, for he paid no attention to it.
“I come up here to remind you of somethin’ you must have forgot, sir. Have you got all your stuff aboard, Mr. Pennington?” he asked.
Pennington was puzzled. Mr. Keegan did not look as if he had been drinking; but then Pennington remembered that Mr. Keegan’s appearance was never materially altered under such circumstances. He had seen him in a state of inebriation more than once.
“I do not remember to have forgotten anything, Keegan,” he answered. “I sent all my baggage out this afternoon.”