A few moments I stood astounded, indignant, at
a loss; then I followed him. His feet trailed, his knees gave,
his back was bowed, his head kept nodding; it was the gait of a
man eighty years of age. Presently he waited for me midway
between two lamp-posts. As I came up he was lighting rank
tobacco, in a cutty pipe, with an evil-smelling match, and the
flame showed me the suspicion of a smile.
"You must forgive my heat, Bunny, but it really was very foolish
of you. Here am I trying every dodge--begging at the door one
night--hiding in the shrubs the next--doing every mortal thing
but stand and stare at the house as you went and did. It's a
costume piece, and in you rush in your ordinary clothes. I tell
you they're on the lookout for us night and day. It's the
toughest nut I ever tackled!"
"Well," said I, "if you had told me so before I shouldn't have
come. You told me nothing."
He looked hard at me from under the broken brim of a battered
billycock.
"You're right," he said at length. "I've been too close. It's
become second nature with me when I've anything on. But here's
an end of it, Bunny, so far as you're concerned. I'm going home
now, and I want you to follow me; but for heaven's sake keep your
distance, and don't speak to me again till I speak to you.
There--give me a start.
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