They both drank long and frankly and
thirstily, as if they were drinking well-water after having just come in
from a hot mountain trail. And again, and for a considerable time, neither
spoke.
"I suppose," said Mrs. Severance finally, with a blur of delicate scorn, "I
suppose our friend Mr. Billett--got away safely?"
Her words brought up a picture of Ted to Oliver,--Ted netted like a fish
out there on the fire-escape, swaddled up like a great papoose in all the
towels and dish-cloths Oliver had been able to find. The release was too
sudden, too great--the laughter came--the extreme laughter--the laughter
like a giant. He swayed in his chair, choking and beating his knees and
making strange lion-like sounds.
"Ted," he gasped. "Ted! Oh, no, Mrs. Severance, Ted didn't get away!
He didn't get away at all--Ted didn't! He didn't because you see he
_couldn't_. He's out on the fire-escape now--oh, wait till you see him, oh
Ted, oh Glory, oh what a night, what a night, what a night!"
XLII
It took a good deal of explaining, however, to make Ted understand. He was
still tightly bound, though very angrily conscious when they found him and
his language when Oliver removed the improvised gag was at first of such an
army variety that Oliver wondered doubtfully if he hadn't better replace
it until he got Ted alone.
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