n-box. 'E says, sir, there's no trouble there. 'E
says 'it must be in 'ere, sir.'"

"In 'ere, sir," repeated the magpie with a loud squawking and rustle of
wings. "Junction-box! Junction-box!" it cried with its head through the
gilded bars.

"Shut up, Don!" ordered Stockbridge. "Be a good bird," he added
sharply. "Now, Straker, you may show the trouble-hunter up."

"Trouble-hunter! Trouble-hunter!" echoed the magpie.

Drew, somewhat amused, thrust his hands in the pockets of his coat and
eyed the opening between the curtains. A click of tools sounded
metallically. A shambling step was in the hallway.

"This woiy," said the butler in a superior tone. "Right this woiy,
you!"

The portieres parted. A slouching figure, with a greasy cap drawn far
down over the eyes, entered the library with a lineman's satchel on his
hip. He swung the strap from his shoulder, glanced at Stockbridge and
then at the detective. He dropped the satchel to the floor and
scratched his head.

"Take a look at this 'phone," said Drew. "Go over the wires. Look for
any cuts. The trouble ought not to be in here."

Stockbridge rose and made room for the lineman, who lifted the satchel
and strode to the 'phone. He dropped to one knee by the little table.
He fished forth a testing-set from his shirt. It was bound with two
leads of cotton-insulated wire.

"I'll test here," he suggested, clamping a set of claws into the wires
which came through the molding and entered the ringing-box.

"Hello!" he said. "Hello, this you, Saidee? Say, Saidee, give me
Franklin Official, seventeen. Yes ... all right! Hello! This you,
Tupper? Say, Tupper, I went over the junction-box in the alley back of
the house. Everything O. K. there. I'll go over the leads in the house.
Loose connection somewhere, I guess."

A clicking of tools followed as the lineman selected a pair of pliers.
They rattled over the binding-posts at the receiver. They tightened the
connections. He went over the transmitter, and then every inch of the
exposed wiring. He removed the cover of the ringing-box and examined
the connections. Replacing this cover, he rose with a puzzled
expression.

"All right," he said to Stockbridge, who was standing with his back
turned. "It's all right here, sir. I don't find a thing. See--it's all
right."

The trouble-hunter lifted the receiver from the hook. "Hello," he said
in a low voice. "Hello, Saidee. Say, Saidee, what number is this on
your board?"