A suspicious silence ensued down on the parlor floor.
"Do you suppose they've skipped?" asked Harry.
"I'm going to venture down and see," replied his partner.
They dashed down the stairs, holding their pistols in readiness for use, and ran into the parlor.
It was empty.
Passing back into Clara's room, they found it vacant.
"Gone!" exclaimed Harry.
"Not by the front," replied his partner. "The door and windows are locked."
"Let's try the basement."
Down they ran, nervous over the disappearance of the smugglers and in the dining-room found the mulatto girl Hattie.