.
He cast an appealing glance up at the light in his bedroom window.
His gaze travelled down to the fanlight over the front door.

And with that the dreadful truth broke on him.

Without the latchkey he could not possibly re-enter the house.
He unlaced and drew on his sodden shoe, and sat for a while considering.

Should he wait here in this dreadful plight until his hosts returned?
Or might he not run down to the theatre (which lay but two short streets away), explain the accident to a doorkeeper, and get a message conveyed to Mr.Basket?
Yes, this was clearly the wiser course.

The streets--thank Heaven!--were dark.
He crept to the front gate and peered forth.