Without the formality of a knock he opened the door and entered. As he
appeared in the doorway there was silence for a moment, then such a
bedlam of shouts and laughter burst forth that every one on the floor
was aroused.
"It's Ted! It's Ted!" they shouted, and crowded around him.
The place was full of them. Across the room he saw the shining face of
Stella, smiling a welcome at him. Ben and Kit, Carl, Clay, and all of
them were there, and sitting at the table was the chief of detectives.
"Hello! Holding a post-mortem over me?" asked Ted.
"It comes pretty near that," said Bud. "Dog-gone you, what do you mean
by goin' erway an' hidin' out on us that way? What in ther name o' Sam
Hill an' Billy Patterson hev yer picked up now?" Bud was looking
curiously at the bundle of rags in Ted's arms, for the boy still slept.
"This is a new pard," said Ted. "If it hadn't been for this kid you'd
probably never seen me again."
"Erlucerdate," demanded Bud.
"Not until some one goes out to the nearest restaurant and orders up a
stack of grub for Scrub and me.
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