Page:Ned Wilding's Disappearance.djvu/152

142 of the pillows of the bed, Ned put on his hat and overcoat, and, taking a firm hold of the rope stepped out of the window and went down, hand over hand. It was a trick he had often performed, though it was hard to descend the five stories. At last his feet touched the ground, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Now to take my valise and skip," he said in a whisper. "That was pretty well done."

He stooped over to loosen his satchel from the rope. His fingers encountered nothing but the hempen strands.

"My valise is gone!" he exclaimed.