Part 45 (1/2)

Phil's words were cut short by a shriek of terror from the lighted house followed by another and another.

”He's there! Come on!”

Both boys vaulted the fence and ran to the front door. By this time shriek upon shriek rent the air. The lads burst into the house without an instant's hesitation.

”Upstairs!” cried Phil, bounding up three steps at a time.

A woman, pale and wide-eyed, had pointed that way when she saw the two boys in their circus tights and realized what they had come there for.

In a large room a dozen people, pale and frightened were standing, one man with hand on the door ready to slam it shut at first sign of the intruder.

”Where--where is he?” demanded Phil breathlessly.

”We were playing cards, and when somebody looked up he saw that beast standing in the door here looking in. He--he went down in the back yard. Maybe you will be able to see him if you go in the room across the hall there. There's a yard fenced off there for the dogs to run in.”

Phil bounded across the hall followed by two of the men.

”Does that stairway lead down into the back yard?”

questioned Phil.

”Yes, yes.”

”Was the door open?”

”Yes, yes.”

”Is it open now?”

”Yes. We can feel the draft.”

”Show me into the room and I'll take a look.”

One of the men, who evidently lived in the house, stepped gingerly across the hall, turned the k.n.o.b and pushed the door in ever so little. Phil and Teddy, with torches still in hand, crowded in.

As they did so their guide uttering a frightened yell, slammed the door shut, and Phil heard a bolt shoot in place.

The boys found themselves in a large room running the full depth of the house. It had been rigged up, as a gymnasium, with the familiar flying rings, parallel bars and other useful equipment.

All this they saw instinctively. But what they saw beyond all this caused the Circus Boys to pause almost spellbound.

”He's in there! He's in there!” shouted half a dozen voices at the same moment. Then the lads heard the people rush down the stairs and out into the street shouting and screaming for help.

Crouching in the far corner of the room, las.h.i.+ng its tail, its evil eyes fixed upon them, was the lion Wallace.

”Wow!” breathed Teddy.

Phil with eyes fixed upon the lion reached back one hand and tried the door behind him. It was locked.

”Teddy, don't make any sudden moves,” cautioned Phil in a low voice. ”We're locked in. Give me your torch. Now edge over to that open window and drop out. We can't both try it, or Wallace will be upon us in a flash. When you get out, run for the lot. Run as you never ran before. Get the men here.

Have them rush Wallace's cage here. Be careful until you get out. Those people have locked us in. I shouldn't dare open the door anyway, now, for he'd catch us before we could get out.