"Why?"

"Get a paper. Something--I didn't quite catch--Gigantic rats--!"

"Rats?"

"Yes, rats. Skinner was right after all!"

"What do you mean?"

"How the Deuce am _I_ to know till I see a paper? Great Rats! Good Lord!
I wonder if he's eaten!"

He glanced for his hat, and decided to go hatless.

As he rushed downstairs two steps at a time, he could hear along the
street the mighty howlings, to and fro of the Hooligan paper-sellers
making a Boom.

"'Orrible affair in Kent--'orrible affair in Kent. Doctor ... eaten by
rats. 'Orrible affair--'orrible affair--rats--eaten by Stchewpendous
rats. Full perticulars--'orrible affair."


III.

Cossar, the well-known civil engineer, found them in the great doorway
of the flat mansions, Redwood holding out the damp pink paper, and
Bensington on tiptoe reading over his arm. Cossar was a large-bodied man