Part 30 (2/2)
They looked all around the room. It was about ten feet square, and, aside from the table, chairs and lamp contained no furniture or furnis.h.i.+ngs.
”There isn't even a window,” said Frank.
”What's that up there?” inquired Fenn, pointing to some sort of an opening near the ceiling.
Bart climbed up on the table and investigated.
”It's a window,” he said, ”but it's not more than a foot square, and has bars to it. More for ventilation than anything else I guess. It's just above the waterline, for I can hear the river and the noise of the propeller.”
”It must be a mistake,” said Frank. ”Go ahead, Bart, and make a racket like a base drum. We've got to get out of here, dress and get ash.o.r.e somehow.”
Thereupon Bart pounded with both fists on the door, while the boys aided him by yelling. They kept it up for several minutes but there was no response.
”Maybe the machinery makes so much noise they can't hear us,” remarked Ned. ”Let's all pound together. Use the chair and save our fists.”
They raised a thundering din by knocking the chairs against the walls of the room and the door.
”Surely someone must hear that,” said Bart, as he stopped to rest his arm. Evidently someone did, for in the silence that followed a voice asked:
”What do you want?”
”We want to get out,” called Bart. ”We're locked in.”
”Well boys, I'm very sorry,” went on the voice, which they recognized as that of Captain Needham's ”but I can't let you out.”
”You can't let us out?” demanded Ned. ”What right have you got to keep us here, prisoners.”
”Oh, I wouldn't think of calling you prisoners,” the captain said in a gentle tone from the other side of the door.
”What else is it?” Bart asked indignantly.
”Well, you're only detained for a little while, that's all. I can't explain now, but it will be all right in a few days. I wish I could tell you, but I can't. I'm bound to secrecy. If you will only be patient I'm sure it will be all right inside of a week.”
”Do you mean to say you're going to keep us here a week?” inquired Fenn.
”Well, I'm afraid I'll have to, you know. You'll be well taken care of.
Plenty to eat, but I'm sorry I can't give you any better clothes than those you have on. You can't run away in them, and you might if you had your own.”
”You'll be sorry for this!” threatened Bart. ”When we do get out you'll be arrested. You can't do this sort of thing in this country!”
”But I have done it,” the captain replied, and the boys thought they heard him laughing. ”Now don't get excited. We'll treat you well.”
”We don't want to be treated well!” fired back Frank. ”We want our rights! We demand that you release us at once!”
”I'm sorry, but I can't do it, boys. The best I can do is to send word to your folks that you are safe, but unavoidably detained,” and this time the boys were sure the man was laughing.
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