Part 14 (1/2)

Tom complied, and it was seen Bob had received a nasty wound which had laid the scalp open on the left side three or four inches The cut had bled profusely With the light to work by, Frank, who like his companions was proficient in first aid treat for lint, htly Jack's bloas not so serious, but Frank bound his head, too

None of the boys nor Tom Barnuh all were more or less familiar with its outer appearance Tom now ht He would flash it on for only aremoved his shoes, and he so hid the rays under his coat that very little light showed This he did in order to prevent as h cracks in the walls or floor, and betraying their activity

The roo his survey, ithout s and possessed of only one door, a es and set in a ponderous fraed the roo were plastered

Not a sound had penetrated into the room from the outside, or from the other parts of the house, and at this all had marveled earlier Tom's report of the survey supplied an answer to the mystery There was little chance for sound to penetrate within

”But a room without s?” said Jack ”How, then, does it happen the air is fresh?”

”There's a draught froht, but there le of the roof tree Say, Mister Jack, this rooiveson an awed tone ”A room without s

An' over in the far corner I found so staples set deep into a post in the wall”

”What, Tom? You don't say”

”Yes, siree Ol' Brownell, the pirate whaler's, been dead for a long time But there's queer stories still around these parts about him an'

his house; stories not only 'bout hoas killed finally by the ure in white that used to be seen on the roof, an' yells heard comin' from here You knohat?” He leaned closer, and still further lowered his voice ”I'll bet this room was a cell fer some crazy body an' ol' Brownell kept him or her chained up when violent Soure wa'n't a ghost but the ol' man's crazy wife”

”Brrr”

Frank shi+vered in rinned in the darkness ”Soh he made of Tom's story, the hour, the circumstances in which they found themselves, the mystery of the less roo, as if unseen hands were reaching for hi out is still our first consideration,” Captain Folsom said

”What Barnum reports makes it look difficult, but let's see Have you tried the door? Is it locked?”

”Tried it?” said Tom ”Ain't possible There ain't neither handle nor knob inside, to pull on No lock nor keyhole in it, neither Must be barred on the outside That's another reason for thinkin' it was built for a prison cell”

”And if the old pirate kept a crazy woman in here when she was violent,” supplied Jack, ”you can bet he built the walls thick to smother her yells That's e hear no sounds”

There was silence for a tihts The prospect, indeed, looked dark How could they escape from a cell such as this?

Jack was first to break the silence

”Look here,” said he, ”fresh air is admitted into this rooh an air port in the ceiling It may be the old pirate even built a trap door in the roof

Obviously, anyhow, our best and, in fact, our only chance to escape lies through the roof It et through walls or the door Let's investigate”

Eager whispers approved the proposal

”Cole in the roof tree You brace yourself against the wall, and I'll stand on your shoulders”

The two moved aith the others close behind them Jacksloped up to a lofty peak Running his hands up each slope, he could discern no irregularity But, suddenly, nearing the top, where the sides drew together, he felt a strong draught of air on his hands

Their positions at the tiainst the end wall, with Jack on his shoulders, and facing the wall The ceiling sloped upward on each side and it was up these slopes Jack had been running his hands Tall as he was, and standing upright, his head still was so sidewalls joined