Part 19 (1/2)
”We'll get pinched, all the same,” the man objected stupidly
”Well, if we do, it only ht Court, and a fine of five or ten dollars You'll be up to-morrow for absence froht half-drunk in the base house on your beat”
Impressed, the officer started to unbutton his tunic, but hesitated
”S'pose sonise me?”
”Where are your wits?” demanded P Sybarite in exasperation ”This isn't a precinct raid! You ought to know that This is Whit over everybody's head Anyhow, it can't be worse for you than it is--and et off”
”Guess you 're right,”out of his coat and surrendering it
Several white jackets hung fro one of these, the policeman had it on in a jiffy
”Nohat'll I do?” he pursued, as P Sybarite, the blue coat over his arrabbed the police cap and started for the door
”Do? How do I know? Use your own head for a while Pull yourself together--cut so useful--make a noise like a steward--”
With this the little man shot out into the hallway, sla bedroo to shi+ft his money as well--cocked the cap jauntily on one side of his head (a bit too big, it fitted better that way, anyhow) buttoned up, and left the room on the run For by this time the front doors had fallen in and the upper floor was echoing with deep, excited voices and heavy, hurrying footsteps In another itives
He had planned--vaguely, inconclusively--to leave by the area door when the raiders turned their attention to the baseuise of an officer, and so s assailed him He was physically not much like any policeman he had ever seen; and the blue tunic with its brass buttons was a wretched uise would pass unchallenged--doubted so strongly that he doubled suddenly to the back door, flung it open, and threw hiht--and at the same time into the arms of two burly plain-clothes men posted there to forestall precisely such an atteled violently for an instant
”Here!” a voice warned hiood--”
Another interrupted with an accent of deep disgust, in patent recognition of his borrowed plue: ”damned if it ain't a patrolman!”
”Why the hell didn't you say so?” demanded the first as P Sybarite fell back, free
”Didn't--have--ti over this fence, will you?”
”What the devil--!”
”They've got a door through to the next house--getting out that way
That's what I'ely--”and give ”
”Oh, well!” said one of the plain-clothes htly ht”
”Co the way to the eastern wall of boards enclosing the back yard
Curiously complaisant for one of his breed, the detective bent his back and made a stirrup of his clasped hands, but no sooner had P