As his fright subsided, he recognized the sounds as very familiar. Bill had not lived in the apartments at Sill for nothing. Too, too often had he listened to the sounds that trickled clearly through the plaster-board partitions. Those partitions were like sounding boards. From one apartment to the next, they transferred the arguments, discussions and all goings-on on the other side. Bill laughed soundlessly in the dark. The lights had been turned off at some central switch, and the darkness was intense. He was lost in the strange room. He took a step sidewise along the wall and stubbed his toe against a suitcase. Bending, he found that it was his own. The problem was solved. Rummaging hastily, he found his flashlight.
"Frank!" he called in a low whisper.
"W-w-what?" quavered from the dark.
Following the direction of the low sound, Bill crossed the room until his outstretched hand collided with Frank's eye. This mostly happens, you know. Frank stifled a howl as Bill hissed, "Listen! We have him now! He's asleep—snoring. Let's take a look at him and then beat it for Mr. Nealum. He must be somewhere about."
"Don't you do it!" whispered Frank, clutching Bill. "Find Mr. Nealum first. You go to flashing that light in his eyes and you will wake him up. He's apt to kill us before you could get to the door."
"Think what a lark it will be if we take him prisoner all by ourselves! We can tie him up with these sheets in no time. Now I tell you how we will work it. As soon as we see just how he is lying, I will shove the bed off him, and you lam him good and plenty with that dictionary. Soon as you do that I will throw all the blankets and bedclothes and the mattress on him and then we will sit on him and yell. Somebody ought to come."
Frank still objected, sure from the size of the sounds that were now easily recognizable as snores, that the robber was really in a deep sleep.
"If he is anything like Lee," he said, "he will throw us off in a second."
"But you are going to lam him one!" whispered Bill patiently. "You must hit hard enough to knock him out—stun him."
"Well, have it your own way!" conceded Frank. He commenced to realize what a wonderful introduction this would be to the boys of the school if it went through as smoothly as Bill seemed to think it would.