We
really would appreciate it. It's our last chance."
"All right," said the burglar in an altered tone. "Don't you worry now,
we'll attend to that."
"Remember there are forty-two--if you would count them."
"That's all right--just you rest easy," said the burglar soothingly.
"I'll see they all get in."
"Really, if I could be of any assistance downstairs," I said anxiously,
"I might really help."
"Oh, don't you worry, Bub, my pals are real careful muts," said the
burglar nervously. "Now just keep calm. We'll get 'em all."
It suddenly burst upon me that he took me for a lunatic. I buried my
head in the covers and rocked back and forth between tears and laughter.
"Hi! what the ----'s going on up there?" cried a voice from downstairs.
"It's all right--all right, Bill," said our burglar hoarsely, "very
affable party up here. Say, hurry it up a bit down there, will you?"
All at once it struck me that if I really frightened him too much they
might decamp without making a clean sweep. I sobered at once.
"I'm not crazy," I said.
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