"Well we wanted to avoid some—er—men," blurted Bob.
"Yah—already the police seek you!" triumphed their captor. "Well, they will not have long to seek."
"They were not the police." Betty found her voice and spoke earnestly. "They were reporters, and we didn't want to be interviewed. We came down the fire escape from the fourth floor, and found the hall window locked. This window was open, and we crawled in, intending to get out into the hall. That is the absolute truth."
CHAPTER XXIII
ANOTHER RESCUE
The black eyes of the little man suddenly disappeared. They were so bright and glistening that their disappearance was noticeable. He had closed them tight and was laughing!
As suddenly as he had laughed, his mirth stopped, and he stared sternly at the anxious Betty.
"You expect me to believe that?" he asked incredulously.
"It is true," she said quietly.