Bob nodded enthusiastic endorsement, and without any more being said the whole party with the exception of the American chauffeur of the taxicab started toward the house. Frank dropped behind for a word with the jehu, then rejoined the party.
“He wants to keep out of it,” Frank said. “He’s all right, but he has to do business in this town and doesn’t like the notoriety. I told him we’d pay him handsomely.”
As they approached the deserted house, Lieutenant Bracewell took the lead and tried the door. It was locked. They looked around for something with which to pry open the lock, but without success.
“Here, no time to waste,” said the young leader. And stepping up, he placed the muzzle of his automatic against the key hole and pressed the trigger. The report was muffled. A strong shove, and the door flew open. There was only one room, and it was empty and deserted. Empty save for a litter of rubbish at one corner, which on examination showed signs of recent disturbance. Lieutenant Bracewell kicked it aside, and then emitted a grunt of satisfaction. A trap door was exposed beneath the litter.
“Over to this side, fellows,” he said, speaking in a low tone, and stepping to the side of the room which would be cut off by the upflung trapdoor from the view of anyone ascending from the tunnel. “No talking now. We’ll give them a nice little surprise party, if they decide to come out this way.”
CHAPTER XVII.
THROUGH THE TUNNEL.
For a little while, the space of a very few minutes, they were silent, looking at each other. And the hearts of the two youngest of the group beat painfully with suppressed excitement, nor were the three young aviators who clustered close in any better case, as their flushed cheeks and hurried breathing could have told. Until presently the sharp-faced young fellow next to Bob turned his uncovered blonde head and smiled through blue eyes while he muttered impatiently that waiting was too tedious to please him.
“What would you do?” whispered Bob, at random.
“Do?” said the other—young Harincourt, who had stayed a hundred hours in the air, part of it during a storm of lashing rain and wind. “Do?” he repeated. “Why, what but invade the tunnel.”
They spoke in so subdued a murmur that their whisperings were inaudible to the others. Bob stared, fascinated, into the other’s eyes. But before he could make comment on the daring suggestion, there came an interruption from an unsuspected source. The street door was flung open, and the taxicab jehu stood in the doorway. Taut nerves taking alarm, all in the room swung quickly about, and Lieutenant Bracewell strode swiftly to the other’s side.