[Exit C.

Carlos. Say, Mister, who’s agoin’ to dig the bait, say? [Exit C.

Charles. Still harping on my wife. I’ll know the meaning of this ere I am an hour older.

(Enter Persis from door L.)

Persis. At last he is gone, and we may arrange our plans.

Bobstay (opens door R.). Ahoy, Charley! (Persis screams, and runs into room L. Enter Bobstay.) Aha! a woman! Who is it? (Creeps across stage on tiptoe, and peeps into keyhole, door L.)

Charles (seizes him by arm and whirls him to R.). What are you about, captain? There’s a lady in that room.

Bobstay. I must have a peep at her (runs up and looks into keyhole). Ah, ha! ’tis she! (falls back into Charles’s arms).

Charles. She! Who?

Bobstay (recovering himself). Hush! Spanker’s wife! My widow, you know! Our evil genius! It’s a judgment on me for giving up the search for the lost Spanker. I must be off. Good-bye; put it there (they shake hands). If I’m asked for, you know—mysteriously disappeared—(goes up to door C.).

Mrs. C. (outside C.) Charley! Charley!

Bobstay (comes down R.). There’s a craft bearing down this way; mum’s the word, Charley.

[Exit door R.

(Enter Persis from room L.)

Persis. Shall we never be alone?

Charles. Hush! go back; my wife is here!

Persis. Your wife? Rosa Bean? I’ll scratch her eyes out!

Charles (pushing her into room). No, no; you’ll spoil all. They meet!—’twould never do (locks door and takes out key. Mrs. C. appears at door C.)

Mrs. C. Why, Charles, what are you doing? Locking my door?

Charles (confused). Yes—no—that is, I was afraid the cat would get in there, and so I locked it.

Mrs. C. I want to put my things away.

Charles. I wouldn’t take them off now, it’s a little chilly here.

Mrs. C. Chilly! Why, Charles, are you ill? How pale you look! If it were anybody else, I should say a guilty look was on your face.

Charles (aside). A guilty look! and she in clandestine correspondence with Dolby! (Aloud) Guilty? absurd! (Aside) What have I done? Locked a woman in her room,—and I suspect her? O, here’s a muddle!

Mrs. C. Well, as you do not seem inclined to let me into my room, I will lay off my things in Nelly’s (goes to door R.). Why, this is locked too!

Charles. O, yes, yes; I forgot to tell you. I—I locked up the dog in there.

Mrs. C. The dog Towzer! What for?

Charles. Well, I was just going to sit down to read, and I didn’t want to be disturbed.

Dog outside. “Bow, wow, wow!”

Mrs. C. Ah, Towzer seems to have found the way out.

Charles. I wish I could. (Dog barks.)

Dolby (outside). Help! murder! help! (Comes tumbling in through the window on to lounge; rolls on to floor.) Confound that dog! (gets up rubbing his knees.)

Charles. What luck, Dolby. Did you get a bite?

Dolby. Yes; two of them; and if my legs hadn’t done good service, that confounded dog would have made a meal of me (still rubbing his knees, not looking up. Mrs. Cleverly, down R.).