“That’s exactly it,” said Tommy. “We’re going to put one over on them. Rather a joke, isn’t it?”
“I’ll tell the world,” assented Mr. Ryder. “Though I’m just a mite hazed about it all,” he ended wistfully.
Tommy got out and assisted Mr. Ryder to alight also. They advanced into the alley way.
On the left were the backs of a row of dilapidated houses, most of which had doors opening into the alley. Mr. Ryder came to a stop before one of these doors.
“In here she went,” he declared. “It was this door—I’m plumb certain of it.”
“They all look very alike,” said Tommy. “Reminds me of the story of the soldier and the Princess. You remember, they made a cross on the door to show which one it was. Shall we do the same?”
Laughing, he drew a piece of white chalk from his pocket and made a rough cross low down on the door. Then he looked up at various dim shapes that prowled high on the walls of the alley, one of which was uttering a blood curdling yawl.
“Lots of cats about,” he remarked cheerfully.
“What is the procedure?” asked Mr. Ryder. “Do we step inside?”
“Adopting due precautions we do,” said Tommy.
He glanced up and down the alley way, then softly tried the door. It yielded. He pushed it open, and peered into a dim yard.
Noiselessly he passed through, Mr. Ryder on his heels.
“Gee!” said the latter. “There’s someone coming down the alley.”