Page:The purple pennant (IA purplepennant00barb).pdf/236

Rh "Couldn't you—couldn't you make your get-away?" asked Fudge, lowering his voice and glancing apprehensively toward the door. Mr. Addicks laid finger to lips, tiptoed across and suddenly threw the door open. Thrilled, Fudge and Perry leaned forward to look. The corridor, however, was empty.

Leaving the door slightly ajar, Mr. Addicks returned to his seat.

"You mean," he asked, "that I might get away before they came back for me?"

Fudge nodded.

"I wonder! You're certain you haven't told anyone, Shaw? Or you, Hull?"

"No, sir, we haven't," replied Fudge emphatically, even indignantly. "We haven't said a word to anyone. We—we thought at first you were a safe-breaker," he added apologetically.

"What made you think that?"

"I don't know exactly. Of course, we knew you weren't just an ordinary thief, sir; we could see that; and so I—we thought maybe that was your line."

"You wronged me there," said Mr. Addicks, in hurt tones. "I've never cracked a safe in my life Shaw."

"I'm sorry, sir. Only—how did you get the