At once the boy began to scream for help.

“Shut up!” growled Porler.

For reply Mart screamed louder.

Then Porler threw him down, poured some chloroform he had in a bottle on his handkerchief and applied it to Mart’s nose.

The boy struggled vainly for a few minutes and then became limp in his arms.

“Ah, that did the business,” Porler murmured to himself. “Glad I brought the chloroform along.”

He took Mart to his carriage and placed him inside, covering him with several robes.

When Mart came to his senses he found himself in a little room. The door was locked and the one window was nailed up tightly. He was a close prisoner.

The boy had been placed on a cot in the corner, and now sat up and gazed around in bewilderment.

“Where am I?” he thought.