Part 32 (1/2)

”Some men are talking up on deck. I can hear them,” Bart answered in a low voice.

He listened intently for a moment and came down from the table.

”I don't know who they are,” he said. ”I didn't recognize Captain Needham's voice, but one man was saying: 'It was a great idea, him calling himself the King of Paprica. That must have thrown 'em all off the scent.'”

”What do you make of it?” asked Frank.

”It only confirms what we guessed at, that the men on this boat are, in some way, connected with the mystery.”

”See any way of getting out around that ventilator?” asked Fenn.

”No,” replied Bart. ”We've got to try the floor or walls. Say!” he went on in an excited tone. ”Why didn't I think of it before. The way that door slid back ought to have given me the tip. There must be some secret pa.s.sage in the walls or floor. Let's look for it!”

Excited over the prospect of escape, the boys carefully examined the walls. They seemed solid, except where the door slid back to reveal the bunk room. This was operated from outside, they decided. There was no way of escape open there.

”Look at every inch of the floor!” said Bart, dropping to his knees.

The others followed his example. They crawled about with their eyes close to the boards. Suddenly Frank uttered an exclamation.

”Find anything?” called Bart, who was in the bunk room.

For answer Frank pointed to a long, straight crack in the floor, under the table. It was about a quarter of an inch wide, and was at right angles to the other cracks which appeared wherever the boards joined.

”I'll bet that's a sliding trap-door!” exclaimed Frank. ”We must try to open it.”

At that moment a knock sounded on the door and a voice called out:

”If you boys will promise to behave and not cut up rough I'll bring in some breakfast.”

”We'll promise,” agreed Bart, his voice trembling slightly. ”We'll take the food,” he added in a whisper to his companions, ”and then we'll try to escape to-night. Don't say anything to whoever comes in.”

The person outside proved to be a husky man with a big tray of food.

Standing behind him in the pa.s.sage were two other men, so there would have been little use in the boys making a dash for liberty. In silence the food was placed on the table, and without speaking the man withdrew, locking the door after him.

The boys waited until the footsteps died away. They were so excited over the prospect of escape they did not think of the food. Eagerly they looked for a knife. There were only spoons. Ned uttered an exclamation of disappointment, but Bart seized one of them.

”The handle will go into the crack,” he said. ”Maybe we can shove the door back.”

He tried, but was unable to budge the slide, if it was one.

”Let's all try,” suggested Frank.

There were four large spoons. The chums moved the table so they could kneel side by side and inserted the handles into the narrow crack.

”All together!” called Bart.

The piece of flooring suddenly slid back, revealing a flight of steps leading downward into the hold of the boat.

”Hurrah!” cried Ned. ”Now we'll show Captain Needham a trick or two!”

”We must wait until night!” said Bart. ”It will be easier then. Besides, we'll need a lantern in that dark hole, and they'll bring one with our suppers. Now I can eat with a good appet.i.te.”