If either of the party had looked at the prisoner when the shots were heard it would have been possible to understand that he was expecting something of the kind.
His face lighted up with an expression of joy, and one could readily fancy he believed the time near at hand when the tables would be turned with a vengeance.
Harvey was more chagrined than frightened.
The fact that he had not suspected something of the kind when it was learned the house had been virtually abandoned, cut deep into his professional pride, and he blamed himself more severely than any other member of the party could have done.
"A child would have had more sense than to fancy they had given us the slip and taken all their stuff with them," he said, angrily. "I have simply done what they allowed a fool would do, and now we must pay the piper."
"But they'll make a mighty poor fist of trying to take us out of here," one of the detectives said, consolingly.
"That goes without saying; but how about our leaving when we get ready? They have us where we can't show our noses outside, and in this desolate spot we needn't expect any help for it would take a month of steady work for a person to find us, and I don't reckon the house is provisioned to stand such a siege."
"I haven't seen anything in the way of food, and I've been into every room."
"Most likely you'll find that the stock of water is quite as low. We're penned up here without a chance of helping ourselves unless we're willing to stand a regular battle."
"Well, I don't see why we shouldn't be able to do, that. According to the boy's story there are only three, without counting this man, therefore the forces are equal in numbers."