“The boys may be with him,” Alex. suggested, as the sound came again. “I hope he won’t make enough noise to disturb his nibs, over in the corner. Good old dog!”
After a time they heard the patter of the dog’s feet, and then the guard whistled softly, as if attempting to make friends with whatever animal was approaching.
“Come here, you foolish dog!” he said. “Why don’t you come in out of the dark?”
The pat-pat of the dog’s soft feet came nearer, and the guard spoke again:
“How the Old Harry did you get in here?” he demanded. “Whose dog are you, anyway?”
The dog growled and there came a flash of light. The guard, becoming afraid of this thing which had found its way into a room supposed to be secure from intrusion, and had switched on the electric.
The light revealed the two prisoners, grouped together in the middle of the room, the old man, standing with weapon extended and with staring eyes, Captain Joe all ready for a spring, an open window, and, lastly, the black face of Mose overlooking the scene with eyes which seemed too large for his head!
“Get him, Joe!” cried both boys in unison.
The light dropped as the dog leaped, and a revolver clattered to the floor. Alex. had hold of the dog in an instant, his other hand reaching for the rolling flashlight.
“Don’t eat him up, Joe!” the boy said, tearing the dog away from the fallen man. Captain Joe fell away with a sullen growl.