"So I've caught you at last!" said he. "After more years than I
mean to count!"
"Then you're luckier than we are, sir," answered Raffles, "for I
fear our man has given us the slip."
"Your man!" echoed Nab. His bushy eyebrows had shot up: it was as
much as I could do to keep my own in their place.
"We were indulging in the chase ourselves," explained Raffles, "and
one of us has suffered for his zeal, as you can see. It is even
possible that we, too, have been chasing a perfectly innocent man."
"Not to say a reformed character," said our pursuer dryly. "
suppose you don't mean a member of the school?" he added, pinking
his man suddenly as of yore, with all. the old barbed acumen. But
Raffles was now his match.
"That would be carrying reformation rather far, sir. No, as I say,
I may have been mistaken in the first instance; but I had put out
my light and was looking out of the window when I saw a fellow
behaving quite suspiciously. He was carrying his boots and creeping
along in his socks - which must be why you never heard him, sir.
They make less noise than rubber soles even - that is, they must,
you know! Well, Bunny had just left me, so I hauled him out and
we both crept down to play detective.
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