“Blast you—” The explosion came from the contorted lips of the huge man, one who had tried to get the wallet from Carlos’ pocket earlier that day. Beside him, crouched to spring, and with a heavy monkey wrench ready to bring down on some defenseless head, was the other big fellow.
“We nearly had a couple of stowaways,” Bob said cheerfully.
“Wonder if their little playmate is hanging around. Guess I’ll ring the alarm bell at the house.” Jim proceeded to carry out the plan and in a moment they heard a bell ringing in the distance and immediately the windows of the great house leaped to life as lights flooded through the darkness. They heard a sound as of a heavy body jumping off of one of the upper verandas, then the swift scramble of racing feet. Shouts came from every direction, and the two men in the garage seemed to be making a terrific effort to get away, but they could barely move.
“Bet it’s the first time they touched a live wire,” Bob remarked, but just then the power was turned off, and with a series of furious curses, the two ruffians dashed out of the place as fast as their legs could carry them.
“The Lab. men caught them good and proper,” Jim remarked with satisfaction. “Reckon they were released to avoid explanations. We can fix that up, all right.”
“Boy, Jim—Bob—”
“O.K., sir, here,” Jim shouted.
“Are you safe, are you injured—oh—”
“We’re great,” Jim answered quickly. “We thought we’d like a little ride before we turned in, but we found two fellows out here, so we rang the house bell to scare them off—”
“Oh, it is fortunate you did,” Carlos said quickly as he came puffing up in his pajamas. “The bell rang, woke me up, and there was a man in my room, just going through my pockets. He jumped so fast I could not be positive, but I believe it was the man who asked me for the wallet this afternoon.” Just then they heard a series of loud shots, and running out, were in time to see a manservant, gun smoking in his hand, bring down a chap as he leaped a high fence. The man fell and they ran to the spot. The fellow was dead. There was no mistaking that face, and the boys turned away a bit sick at the sight of the bleeding body.