Page:Sylvester Sound the Somnambulist (1844).djvu/249

come up with me; I'll investigate this—but quietly: don't make the slightest noise."

"All right, sir: a mouse sha'n't hear me."

The doctor then—followed by Ninety-nine—ascended, and on going into Tom's room found, not only that Tom was not there but that he had not been in bed at all.

"Well," exclaimed the doctor, "this is, at all events, conclusive. But where can he be?"

"Up stairs perhaps, sir," suggested Ninety-nine.

"Very likely. But let us go up quietly."

Ninety-nine then took the lead, and as Tom—who was still at his post, and who had heard sounds below which could not be mistaken—had prepared himself to receive any friend who might happen to look in upon him, Ninety-nine no sooner entered the study than he received a blow which felled him in an instant to the ground.

"Who's there?" cried the doctor.

"'Tis I," replied Tom, amazed on hearing the doctor's voice.

"Tom! what, in the name of heaven, do you mean?"

"O-o-o-o!" cried Ninety-nine.

Tom opened his little dark lantern, and having seen Ninety-nine stretched upon the floor, felt that he had made some mistake.

"I ask you again," said the doctor, "what you mean by this abominable conduct?"

"What abobidable codduct?" cried Tom. "I've beed sittidg up here with the view of catchidg that scouddrel whose budkey tricks have so buch addoyed us."

"It is false!" cried the doctor.

"What's false?"

"Every word that you have uttered. You have not, sir, been sitting up here. You have been out, sir!"

"Out! what, out of the house do you bead?"

"Yes, sir!"

"What, do you bead sidce I cabe id frob the lecture?"

"Yes!"

"Doe, I'b blest if I have!"

"How can you deny it, Tom? This policeman here, saw you enter just now."

"Iddeed! What, this fellow? Well, if he did he did, add if he did, he's a datural curiosity! I bust have a look at hib."

Ninety-nine, on being rolled over by Tom, conceived it to be his duty, as a policeman and as a man, to pretend to have been dreadfully injured; but having been in reality more frightened than hurt, Tom soon made him assume a sitting posture on the floor; and, having done so, exclaimed, "Didety-dide! Why, this is Didety-dide! What does he pretedd to kdow about the batter?"

"Policeman," said the doctor, "is this, or is this not the person whom you saw just now enter the house?"

"It is, sir," replied Ninety-nine; "and I'll swear it."

"You will," exclaimed Tom.