Then the man went away, never noticing the little bit of deception which the boys had practised, locking the door after him.
"The things to eat are all right," said Jack, after the man had gone, "but we would better not touch the wine. I never do, anyhow. This is likely to be drugged to make us sleep, so that we will give no trouble."
"I don't want it anyhow," said Dick.
The boys ate a supper, and then, as it grew dark, sat and waited for some sign of their friends, and at last when it was quite dark hearing a peculiar whistle somewhere outside.
"That's the Hilltop signal!" whispered Percival "Aid is at hand!"
CHAPTER XVI
BEN'S STRANGE STORY
Jack jumped upon the chest, which he quickly dragged to the little window, and answered the signal, one generally used by the Hilltop boys when they wished to communicate with each other at a distance.
In a moment it was answered, and then young Smith ran up under the window, and said eagerly: