"For God's sake! Cut that--Hey, Central! Give me police headquarters again. ... Lively, please. ... Yes, it's life or death. ... Come on, Mademoiselle,--please!" "That's the way," complimented Mr. Yollop. "By gosh, nobody ever wanted the police more than I do at this minute," gulped Mr. Smilk. He was perspiring freely. "Hello! Police headquarters? ... Hustle someone to--to--(over his shoulder to Mr. Yollop, in a whisper,)--quick! What's the number of this,--" "418 Sagamore Terrace." Into the transmitter: "To 418 Sagamore Terrace, third floor front. Burglar. Hurry up!" Telephone: "What's yer name?" Smilk, to Yollop: "What is my name?" Mr. Yollop: "Crittenden Yollop." Smilk, to telephone: "Crittelyum Yop." Telephone, languidly: "Spell it." Smilk: "Aw, go to--" Mr. Yollop: "After me now,--Y-o-l-l-o-p." Telephone: "First name." Smilk, prompted. "C-r-i-t-t-e-n-d-e-n." Telephone, after interval: "What floor?" Smilk: "Third." Telephone: "Are you sure it's a burglar, or is it just a noise somewhere?" Smilk: "It's a burglar. He's got me covered." Telephone: "What's that?" Smilk: "I say, I've got him covered. Hurry up or he'll blow my head off--" Telephone: "Say, what IS this? Get back to bed, you. You're drunk." Smilk: "I'm as sober as you are. Can't you get me straight? I tell you I beat his head off. He's down and out,--but---" Telephone: "All right. We'll have someone there in a few minutes. Did you say Yullup?" Smilk: "No. I said hurry up." CHAPTER TWO "The thing that's troubling me now," said Mr. Yollop, as Smilk hung up the receiver and twisted his head slightly to peek out of the corner of his eye, "is how to get hold of my slippers. You've no idea how cold this floor is." "If it's half as cold as the sweat I'm---" "We're likely to have a long wait," went on the other, frowning. "It will probably take the police a couple of hours to find this building, with absolutely no clue except the number and the name of the street." "I'll tell you what you might do, Mr. Scollop, seein' as you won't trust me to go in and find your slippers for you. Why don't you sit on your feet? Take that big arm chair over there and--" "Splendid! By jove, Cassius, you are an uncommonly clever chap. I'll do it. And then, when the police arrive, we'll have something for them to do. We'll let them see if they can find my slippers. That ought to be really quite interesting." "There's something about you," said Mr. Smilk, not without a touch of admiration in his voice, "that I simply can't help liking."