Part 32 (2/2)
”But we can't stay here to guard him and he'd be out of this room in a jiffy.”
”I'll tell you where we'll take him,” said Donald. He whispered in his father's ear. Judson's face brightened and he nodded approvingly.
”Just the place. It will serve him right. He got himself into this mess.”
”Are you going to let me go?” demanded Jack.
”Certainly not. You've made your bed--you can lie on it.”
Jack made a leap for the door. The key was in the lock, but he didn't have a chance to turn it before all three threw themselves on him. A scuffle followed which Judson brought to a quick stop by striking Jack a stunning blow on the head with his bludgeon. With a million stars dancing before him in a void of blackness, Jack went down.
”Now come on quick before anyone spots us,” said Jarrow.
Jack's limp form was rolled up in a dirty old blanket so as to look like some kind of a bundle. Then Jarrow and Judson lifted him by the head and feet, while Donald preceded them with the lamp.
The younger Judson led the way out of a rear door to a side hallway.
From here two flights of stairs led down to an ill-ventilated, low cellar which was seldom visited and was used mostly for old rubbish and rags. Jack was carried to a high-sided wooden coal bin and his form dropped on a pile of dirty old newspapers and decaying straw. There was a heavy door with an iron bolt on the outside leading into the place. As Judson closed this, leaving Jack to his fate, he muttered:
”This is the time we don't need to bother about his getting out. He'll stay there till to-morrow, anyhow, and by that time we'll be at sea.”
”What time will that auto be at the corner?” asked Donald.
”It should be there in a few minutes. We must get ready right away,”
replied his father. ”Come on, we've no time to lose.”
In the meantime Billy and Ned waited on the corner. As the minutes flew by they began to get worried.
”Jack is certainly taking his time,” said Ned.
”Perhaps he is scouting about,” suggested Billy.
”Perhaps he has fallen into a trap,” exclaimed Ned. ”I've a good mind to go for the police.”
”Well, we'll wait a little longer,” said Billy.
Almost an hour pa.s.sed and there was no sign of Jack.
”I won't wait any longer,” declared Ned, when suddenly three figures emerged from the house. Their hats were pulled over their eyes and they glanced about suspiciously.
”It's the two Judsons and Jarrow,” exclaimed Billy.
As he spoke a big touring car came down the street and stopped at the mouth of the alley-way. The three persons who had just emerged from the tenement house began to hasten to it, but Billy intercepted them.
”What have you done with Jack?” he demanded.
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