Vivid flashes of
lightning revealed to the couple the figure of a man standing upright
before them, but looking in quite another direction. Christine's sharp
little cry came as the first flash died away, but another followed in
a second's time. The man was now facing the doorway, his body bent
forward, his white face gleaming in the unnatural light. David had
withdrawn his arms from about Christine and had planted himself in
front of her. Pitchy darkness returned in the fraction of a second.
Distinctly they heard a laugh. Then out of the clatter and swish of
driven water came the cheerful cry:
"Hello, Jack Snipe!"
"Who are you?" called out David.
"Ha! Who goes there, you mean. Always use the correct question, kid.
How can I give the secret password unless you put it up to me right?
Oh, I say! I didn't see you, Miss Christine. Geminy! Ain't this a
pelter?"
"Why, it's Dick," cried David. "Where in the world did you drop from?
The sky?"
The pickpocket laughed gleefully.
"Did I scare you? I guess it must have surprised you, me popping in
here like a Punch and Judy figure, eh? You kind o' surprised me, too,
I'll say that for you.
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