The old woman had vanished.
CHAPTER VI
DEATH CLOSE BEHIND
"Cut for the passage!" cried Porky as he realized that his quarry had escaped and knew that her release meant fresh dangers for them. Instinctively he held on to the bundle in his hands, and with Beany at his heels raced through the door and up the narrow passage that led to the secret door in the panel.
They found it closed tight. Furiously the boys shook and tugged at the heavy handle which was wont to turn and release the sliding panel. It did not budge. They shook and banged.
"It's no good," said Porky finally, as they paused, gasping and out of breath. "We are trapped!"
"Some one will hear us if we bang long enough," said Beany, kicking at the secret door.
"Not so you would know it," said his brother bitterly. "You can't hear a sound. That paneling is six inches thick along here. Made so on purpose, I suppose. We had better go down and try to get out by the passage that leads into the garden."
They turned and hurried back, retracing their steps through the passage and the two underground rooms. As Beany passed the great sword, he dragged it from its upright position in the floor and took it with him.
"I guess this belongs to me as much as to any one," he said grimly. "I'll take it home to Pop."