“Oh,” I said, “that was you, was it?” “It was, sir--me. For that I hev come humbly to apologise. I trust the draft has not discommoded you, sir. I regret the acci_dent_, and I wish to pay for the fixin’ up and the general inconvenience.” He placed a sovereign on the table. “I ’low you’ll call that square now, sir, and fix things friendly and comfortable as between gentle_men_, an’ no ill will. Shake.” And he formally extended his hand. I took it at once. “Certainly,” I said, “certainly. As a matter of fact, you haven’t inconvenienced me at all; indeed, there were some circumstances about the affair that rather interested me. But as to the damage,” I continued, “if you’re really anxious to pay for it, do you mind my sending the glazier to you to settle? You see, it’s only a matter of half a crown or so at most.” And I pushed the sovereign toward him. “But then,” he said, looking a trifle disappointed, “there’s general discommodedness, you know, to pay for, and the general _sass_ of the liberty to a stranger’s winder. I ain’t no down-easter--not a Boston dude--but I reckon I know the gentlemanly thing, and I can afford to do it. Yes. Say now, didn’t I startle your nerves?” “Not a bit,” I answered, laughing. “In fact, you did me a service by preventing me going to sleep just when I shouldn’t; so we’ll say no more of that.” “Well--there was one other little thing,” he pursued, looking at me rather sharply as he slowly pocketed the sovereign. “There was a bit o’ paper round that pebble that came in here. Didn’t happen to notice that, did you?” “Yes, I did. It was an old piece of manuscript music.” “That was it--just. Might you happen to have it handy now?” “Well,” I said, “as a matter of fact a friend of mine has it now. I tried playing it over once or twice, as a matter of curiosity, but I couldn’t make anything of it, and so I handed it to him.” “Ah!” said my visitor, watching me narrowly, “that’s a nailer, is that ‘Flitterbat Lancers’--a real nailer. It whips ’em all. Nobody can’t get ahead of that. Ha, ha!” He laughed suddenly--a laugh that seemed a little artificial. “There’s music fellers as ’lows to set right down and play off anything right away that can’t make anything of the ‘Flitterbat Lancers.’ That was two of ’em that was monkeyin’ with me last night. They never could make anythin’ of it at all, and I was tantalizing them with it all along till they got real mad, and reckoned to get it out o’ my pocket and learn it off quiet at home, and stop all my chaff. Ha, ha! So I got away for a bit, and bein’ a bit lively after a number of tooth-lotions (all three was much that way), just rolled it round a stone and heaved it through your winder before they could come up, your winder bein’ the nearest one with a light in it. Ha, ha! I’ll be considerable obliged if you’ll get it from your friend right now. Is he stayin’ hereabout?”