Noiselessly the lower sash was lifted, and the way into the bungalow was open.
"You can stay here," whispered Burton, "or you can go with me. If you're afraid to trust me, I can look around and report what I find."
"I'll go with you," returned Clancy. "I don't want to take your report about what you find, I want to see for myself."
As carefully as possible they crawled through the window, and while they stood in the dark room at the front of the house. Hiram came through the opening and joined them.
A noise reached their ears, as of heavy breathing. Hill caught Clancy's arm in a convulsive clutch.
"There's some one in the place, all right!" said Burton, under his breath.
"Strike a light," suggested the motor wizard. "I believe it's safe enough."
"Here, let me," put in Hiram. "I've got a match right in my fingers."
He scraped the match on the wall. As a flicker of light blazed up, a small, meagerly furnished front room was disclosed. Neither Captain Hogan nor either of those who had chartered his boat could be seen.
Clancy stepped to a shelf on the side wall, and took down a candle in a candlestick. Hill touched the match to the wick, and the investigation continued under a better light.