“All safe?” questioned the old man, in a querulous tone.
“Yes,” replied Crull. “Just getting ready to blow away from here. We wondered where you were.”
“Wait!” The old man’s voice was urgent. “You can’t go yet.”
“It’s the only thing to do.”
“What! Leave them in the cavern?”
Birdie Crull did not reply. Then Isaac Coffran delivered an important message. He pointed out the predicament in which the counterfeiters now were placed. If The Shadow had rescued Vincent and Marquette, they would testify against the counterfeiters. If the two men had drowned, all the gang would be guilty of murder.
Crull agreed on these points. He explained that he had replaced the hose, and that it was unlikely that either Vincent or Marquette had survived. That left only The Shadow — a powerful, invisible menace.
“We’ve got to get him,” snapped Isaac Coffran. “We’ve got to make sure the others are dead. We have The Shadow where we want him, now.”
Then the old man explained his plan. He would remain alone at Blair Windsor’s. He had barred the door. He would be there with an automatic, in the cellar. There were several guns available in Windsor’s room.
The others — with the exception of the wounded Jerry — must attack at once. They could proceed quickly and silently through the tunnel. Then they must shoot to kill.