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Rh louder than before. Then he heard a movement inside the house, but nobody came to answer his summons. He tried the door, to find it locked.

"Mrs. Sobber, who is that?" asked a trembling and high-pitched voice—the voice of the old man who owned the building.

"Oh, it's only a peddler; don't go to the door," answered a woman.

"I am not a peddler!" cried Dick. "I have business in this house, and I want to come in."

"You go away, or I'll set the dog on you!" cried the woman, and now Dick heard her moving around at the back of the hall.

"Mrs. Sobber, I want you to open this door!" went on Dick, sharply. "If you don't you'll get yourself into serious trouble."

"Want to be bit by the dog?"

"No, I don't want to be bit by a dog," answered Dick. He listened but heard nothing of such an animal. "I don't believe you have a dog. Will you open, or shall I bring a policeman."

"Mercy on us, a policeman!" gasped the woman. "No, no, don't do that!"

"What does this mean?" demanded the old man. "Open that door, Mrs. Sobber, and let me see who is there. I don't understand this. Day before yesterday you brought those strange folks, and now"