For answer Merry drew Bart back into the shadows by the window.
"Keep still right here a little while. Perhaps the—the thing will return. If some one is playing us a trick, we may capture him."
"I should like to lay my hands on the villain!" Bart hissed. Though they stood there in utter silence for five minutes, the sounds did not come again.
"Of course, there is some rational explanation of this," Merriwell declared, as they again approached the window. "There must be! It is the wildest nonsense to think otherwise."
"Well, I wish that rational explanation would hurry this way. I'm ready for it, old man! This thing is shaking my nerves all to pieces."
"I didn't know you were troubled with nerves! Nerves are for hysterical girls and old women!"
"Well, I've got 'em now! as the drunken man said when he began to see snakes. I haven't any doubt about it."
Hodge so seldom indulged in a joke, that Merry looked surprised. They had reentered the room, and he glanced at his friend in wonder.
"Likely that—thing will begin to walk again pretty soon," said Frank, after they had remained another minute or so in a listening attitude. "You sit here and watch by this window, while I slip into the corridor."
Hodge obediently dropped into the chair, and Merriwell let himself into the corridor. He closed the door after him, so that if any one approached or entered the corridor that person could not see him, and began his vigil.