Only for the gag Tommy would have yelled lustily. He was covered with cold perspiration, while his mouth seemed dry and parched. His eyes bulged with terror.
Of a sudden one of the rats made a leap and landed on Tucker’s knee.
With a convulsive twist, Tommy flung himself, chair and all, over backward.
CHAPTER XVI.
AN EVIL BAND.
With a terrific squeaking and scampering, the rats fled in all directions. Tommy was both relieved and dismayed. His position was now decidedly awkward and painful.
“If this keeps up long, I can see my finish,” he thought. “Bet my hair’s begun to turn gray now. A few hours more will make it white as the driven snow.”
After a time the rats began to return. He could see them creeping out cautiously from the deeper darkness which the flickering light did not penetrate.
A faint rattling sound made him prick up his ears. His heart throbbed, for something told him that some one was fitting a key to the lock of the door. He was right in this supposition, and soon the old door creaked once more on its hinges.
There was a faint gleam of light, which moved slowly amid the old empty boxes. Tucker heard the sound of many feet, and finally a grotesque figure appeared, bearing an iron pan with a long handle. On the surface of this pan, which seemed half filled with grease, a saturated rag was burning. It was a huge candle.
Tommy blinked rapidly as his eyes perceived the figure which bore the flaring light. Apparently it was a huge bear, walking upright on its hind legs.