"How did you get in here?"     

       Spike Mullins grinned.     

       "Gee! Ain't de window open?"     

       "If it hadn't been?"     

       "I'd a' busted it."     

       Jimmy eyed the fellow fixedly.     

       "Can you use an oxy-acetylene blow-pipe?" he demanded.     

       Spike was on the point of drinking. He lowered his glass, and gaped.     

       "What's dat?" he said.     

       "An oxy-acetylene blow-pipe."     

       "Search me," said Spike, blankly. "Dat gets past me."     

       Jimmy's manner grew more severe.     

       "Can you make soup?"     

       "Soup, boss?"     

       "He doesn't know what soup is," said Jimmy, despairingly. "My good man, I'm afraid you have missed your vocation. You have no business to be trying to burgle. You don't know the first thing about the game."     

       Spike was regarding the speaker with disquiet over his glass. Till now, the red-haired one had been very well satisfied with his methods, but criticism was beginning to sap his nerve. He had heard tales of masters of his craft who made use of fearsome implements such as Jimmy had mentioned; burglars who had an airy acquaintanceship, bordering on insolent familiarity, with the marvels of science; men to whom the latest inventions were as familiar as his own jemmy was to himself. Could this be one of that select band? His host began to take on a new aspect in his eyes.     

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