Fritz, while perpetrating the ventriloquism, was also listening and planning.
"Dot veller Hartly is der very chap to helb me oud mit my scheme," he muttered, "und ve must escape from here, pefore der smugglers return."
Accordingly he slid down the rope into the room below.
Hartly looked surprised.
"Who the deuce are you?" he demanded, stepping back a pace.
"Fritz Snyder, detective," Fritz replied. "I come here on pizness—vot for, you can easily guess. I vant you to helb me oud mit it, und I vil see dot you haff your liberty."
"Ha! ha! that's your game, is it? Well, my friend, I'd like to do it, first-rate, but I can not oblige you."
"Vy not?"
"Because I swore allegiance to the cause you would have me betray, and it never shall be said that Hal Hartly was not a man of his word!"
"But I heard you say dot you vas forced inder der pizness."