reached its desire; for there upon
the side of a low cot sat a beetle-browed fellow, shabby and down at the
heel. He had a lean jaw, blue with an unshaven beard, and in his hand,
dangling carelessly by the trigger guard, was an automatic pistol.

"Well," said the lean-jawed gentleman, after a pause, with cool inquiry
in his voice, "what's the idea? Do you make a practice of coming into
people's rooms, building a grand stand for yourself and taking
observations across the hall?"

Bat, still standing upon the chair, faced the speaker, assuming a
nonchalance he did not feel.

"A couple of friends of mine are over there," explained he. "Little joke
on them, see? Didn't know this room was occupied."

"Friends of yours, eh?" The man with the lean jaw stuck his head
forward, and a wide grin showed several black teeth. "You look like a
fairly respectable guy; and to hear you hook yourself up with a pair of
yeggs is a jolt to me." Then suddenly the speaker rose and tossed the
pistol upon the bed. In an altered voice he continued: "Suppose you get
down off that chair, old top, and let me have a look at the
proceedings."

As he said this there was a look of amusement in his eyes; something
seemed to fall from him which changed his aspect. With a gasp of wonder
Bat Scanlon leaped down and grasped his hand.

"Kirk!" said he, "Kirk, by George!"

CHAPTER XIV

ASHTON-KIRK VISITS HEADQUARTERS

For a moment Bat Scanlon stood looking at the disguised investigator, an
expression of almost incredulity upon his face.

"I see it's you!" spoke he. "But, just the same, I feel like denying
it."

Ashton-Kirk smiled. However, he made no reply, but stepped up on the
chair which Scanlon had just vacated and looked through the transom.
When he got down there was an amused look upon his face.

"Your friend, the burglar, seems quite a capable person," said he. "That
hole he's making in the wall is a very neat job. But," and he shrugged
his shoulders, "he will have his labor for his pains."

"How do you know?" asked Bat.

"Because I went through the room they are breaking into an hour ago--and
the thing they are looking for is not there."

Bat mopped his forehead.

"Well," said he, "I'll admit this is all a kind of a whirligig to me.
I'm in it, and I'm losing none of the motion, but what's turning the
thing is more than I can make out." He looked at Ashton-Kirk. "What
place is this?" he asked.

"It's a lodging-house, kept