“I know a new trick,” said Justice. “It’s for handling a fellow twice your size. A Japanese fellow down in Washington taught it to me. Let me practice it on you, will you? You’re the first one I’ve seen since I learned it who was so much heavier than I.”
Slim consented amiably enough and Justice proceeded with a series of operations that rolled his big antagonist around on the floor like a meal sack.
“Don’t make so much noise, boys!” commanded Katherine, putting a warning finger to her lips. “Don’t you see that Sylvia has fallen asleep? Go on out into the hall and do your wrestling tricks out there.”
Slim and Justice removed themselves to the hall and continued their wrestling, and the Captain abandoned the books to watch them and cheer them on.
“Bet you can’t back him all the way up the stairway!” said the Captain, as Justice forced Slim up the first step.
“Bet I can!” replied Justice, and then began a terrific struggle, science against bulk. Slim fought every inch of the way, but, nevertheless, went up steadily, step by step. Sahwah and Katherine, drawn by the Captain’s admiring exclamations at Justice’s feat, also abandoned the books and came out to watch.
Justice got Slim as far as the landing, and there Slim got his arms wound around the stair post and anchored himself effectively. One step above the landing was as far as Justice could get him. Justice leaned over him and tried another trick to break his grip on the post and the two were see-sawing back and forth when suddenly the Captain gave a yell that made Justice loosen his hold on Slim and ask in a scared voice, “What’s the matter?”
“The landing!” gasped the Captain. “Look at the landing!”
Justice looked, and the others looked, and they all stood speechless with amazement, for the stair landing was doing something that they had never in all their born days seen a stair landing do before. It was sliding out of its place, sliding out over the bottom flight of stairs as smoothly and silently as though on oiled wheels. The five stood still and blinked stupidly at the phenomenon, unable to believe their eyes. The landing came out until there was a gap of about two feet between it and the wall, and then noiselessly came to a stop. In the opening thus made they could see the top of an iron ladder set upright against the wall below.
Sahwah rallied her stunned senses first. “The secret passage!” she cried triumphantly.