At the word ‘tec,’ George’s face went deadly pale, and he sprang from his seat.
Old Jarvis looked out, and he took the situation in in a moment.
‘By Jove, yes! He’s watching the house; and there’s two peelers at the corner.’
Bess, with a wild cry, flung her arms around George’s neck.
Old Jarvis hesitated a moment. Then he turned to George.
‘Quick, quick!—this way!’ he said. ‘I may save you yet!’ Hardly knowing what he did, George followed the old showman from the room, and ran upstairs with him.
Bess staggered after him as far as the door, and then fell fainting into the arms of Mrs. Jarvis.
At that moment a loud knock.
‘Let’em knock,’ shouted Jarvis down the stairs. ‘Don’t open till I tell you.’
The knocking continued. There was a sound of hurried movements in the room above, and Mrs. Jarvis wondered what her husband was doing.