He went slowly up to his own room, entered and leaving the door wide open behind him, went over to the window and sat down in the dark. He stared hopelessly out into the dense waving branches of the trees, thinking, thinking. He was perfectly still, and when Zip came hurriedly out of the laboratory and glanced into the boy’s room, he evidently did not see him and passed on downstairs. He returned presently, a package under his arm, and went into the laboratory, locking the door. Still Dee sat in the darkness, silent and moody. He heard a plane humming overhead and knew that it must be Ernest in his new flyer on his way to Stithton. Ernest had told the boys that he would always fly low and beat out taps in the exhaust whenever he went over.
Once more Zip came out of the laboratory and left the house. Although the night was clear, he wore a light raincoat, and he carried a small black satchel. Dee had seen this satchel many times. Zip took it when he went down-town, as a woman carries a shopping bag.
Another half hour went by, with Dee moodily staring into the street.
Then, very softly, so that Dee could scarcely hear the muffled ticking, the wireless in Zip’s room commenced to call. Over and over Dee heard the signal. Finally with swift decision he leaped to his feet. Remembering that Zip might return at any moment, he went softly down the stairs and slipped the latch so that Zip could not unlock the door. Dee hoped that he would think the latch had slipped. In any event, he would be obliged to ring for admission. Slipping off his shoes, he raced up the carpeted stairs, and noiselessly passing the door of the laboratory, entered Zip’s room and commenced his search for the instrument. The faint ticking guided him and he discovered the wireless cleverly concealed in a bureau. The drawers had been changed so that the whole front opened like a door. There Dee found a perfect set of instruments, and dropping on his knee, he answered the call and commenced to take the message.
“How goes it?” asked the wireless, and Dee, remembering Zip’s pet word, said, “Fine, fine!” and waited.
“Take this down,” said the wireless next. “We need ten cases. See that they are in charge of the keeper in the inner chamber. The thirteenth is the day.”
“All right,” answered Dee, and waited breathlessly. In the silence he thought he heard his father walking in the hall. Reaching over, he turned off the electric light.
“Two men are coming to take the stuff out,” the wireless went on. “They will come as usual. Be very careful. We are closely watched. Leave the garage—”
With a start Dee turned, and the receiver jolted from his hand. The room door had opened suddenly, and Mr. De Lorme entered. He had evidently heard the ticking and was hurrying to take the message.
As he crossed the dark room to the electric light, Dee sat motionless. He was caught! There was no way for him to escape. Mr. De Lorme pressed the electric button and flooded the room with light. Then Dee, blinking in the sudden glare, looked up full at his step-father.