“All right. Now, if I do pull the cord, you three fellows dress and slip out of the side door and join me there. Is all that clear?”
“Almost,” laughed Terry. “Be a sport, Vench, and tell us what is up?”
“Nothing doing,” Vench returned, firmly. “This may all be a false alarm, and if it is I don’t intend that anyone but myself shall pay the penalty for it.”
“But if it has anything to do with Don we ought to have some hand in it,” urged Jim.
“If it turns out as I expect and Don is concerned in it, you will have a hand, maybe both hands in it,” countered Vench. “Now, I must get back to my room. Don’t forget to drop that string out of the window, and whatever you do don’t keep on sleeping if I pull it. So long.”
“So long,” they returned, and Rhodes added, “And good luck to you in whatever it is you are doing.”
Vench went out of the room, chuckling at Rhodes’ parting shot. Terry looked at his companions.
“Mr. Vench is getting very mysterious!” he said.
“He certainly doesn’t mean to bother anyone else with his ideas,” commented Rhodes.
Mr. Vench returned to his own room and picked up a book. After a few moments he put it down and turned to his roommate, who was studying at the same table.