the same. They always do when some darn fool idiot is pointin' them
at people."

"Don't be crotchetty, Cassius," reproached Mr. Yollop. "Now, if you
will just sidle around to the left you will come in due time to the
telephone over there on that desk. I shall not be far behind you.
Sit down. Now unfold your arms and lean both elbows on the desk.
That's the idea. You might keep your right hand exposed,--sort of
perpendicular from the elbow up. Take the receiver off the hook
and--"

"Oh, I know how to use a telephone all right."

"Now, the main thing is to get Central," said Mr. Yollop
imperturbably. "Sometimes it is very difficult to wake them after
two o'clock A.M. Just jiggle it if she doesn't respond at once.
Seems that jiggling wakes them when nothing else will."

Mr. Yollop, very tall and spare in his pajamas, stood behind the
burly Mr. Smilk, the dangling disc almost touching the latter's
hunched up shoulders.

"This is a devil of a note," quoth Mr. Smilk, taking down the
receiver. "Makin' a guy telephone to the police to come and arrest
him."

"I wish I had thought to close that window while you were hors de
combat," complained Mr. Yollop shivering. "I'll probably catch my
death of cold standing around here with almost nothing on. That wind
comes straight from the North Pole. Doesn't she answer?"