Page:Dave Porter at Oak Hall.djvu/157

Rh "All right—but don't let him go free."

"I won't—unless he's frightened to death."

"Want me to go along?"

"As you please."

The two boys slipped out into the dark hallway, and side by side made their way to the stairs leading into the big cellar.

"There's a light down there!" cried Dave, as they opened the door. "Somebody besides Macklin is there!"

"Perhaps it's Gus Plum!"

"That's true."

The boys came to a halt, and by listening intently made out a low mumble of two voices.

"Let us listen and learn what they are saying," said Phil. "It's fair enough—after what Macklin tried to do."

With caution they descended to the cellar bottom and tiptoed their way toward the coal vault.

"Yes, sir, but I—I don't dare to tell," reached them, in the quivering voice of the sneak. "If I do the—they'll kill me!"

"Unless you tell me just what this means, Master Macklin, I shall leave you here," was the reply, and to the amazement of Dave and Phil it came in Job Haskers's voice. "I have been made a fool of—but never mind that. It is lucky for you that I came back at this time of the night and heard you calling in your fright. Now, tell me