“That’s the talk!” returned Roger. “Come on—let us make an inspection of these rooms and see what can be done.”
“I’m going to release the girls first,” said Dave, and getting out his penknife, he opened the file blade and began work on the steel band which encircled Jessie’s ankle.
Seeing this, Roger employed himself on the band which held Laura prisoner, and soon the youths had the satisfaction of setting the two girls free.
“Those gypsies will be very angry when they find out that you have ruined the chains,” remarked Jessie.
“We’ll have to take our chances on that,” answered Dave.
“We are still armed, even if we are prisoners,” put in Roger. “I guess we could put up a pretty stiff fight if we had to.”
“Oh, Roger, I hope there won’t be any shooting!” cried Laura, in horror.
“There won’t be, unless they start something,” answered the senator’s son.
The two young men began a careful inspection of the two rooms. Although the bungalow was old and dilapidated in many places, the timbers of which it was built were heavy, and they found the walls and the floor, as well as the ceiling, intact. The only place that looked as if it might afford some means of escape was the little closet where the girls had hung up some of the articles contained in Laura’s suit-case. Here, by standing on a bench, Dave found that one of the boards in the closet ceiling was loose. He was just about to make an investigation of what was beyond this loose board, when there came a sharp knock on the door leading to the corridor.
“I want Dave Porter to step out here!” said a voice. “I want to talk to him!”