It proved to be rather an unfortunate design on his part for his right arm was as helpless as though paralyzed so when he tried to move it played him a most dastardly and treacherous trick, actually crashing through the window and shattering the pane of glass into a thousand pieces!
CHAPTER VII
IN THE BLACK BOTTLE
It is astonishing what a tremendous medley of sound usually follows the smashing of a window, especially in the dead of night, with everything around gripped in silence.
Frank had a sensation almost of panic, hardly knowing what had happened. Paul, on his part, involuntarily ducked down, as if under the impression that the runt outside had hurled his spade through the window and would possibly follow it with other things still more dangerous.
Lanky, who was himself the culprit, appeared to grasp the situation and its undoubted disastrous consequences better than either of his companions. This was proved when he made a vigorous bolt for the exit of the room, leading outdoors.
"Let's grab him, fellows!" he shouted back over his shoulder, just before tearing open the door and leaping headlong through.
In his haste he made some sort of miscalculation, and the next thing he knew he tripped over some object and went headlong to the ground.