It was Kenworth speaking again. Herc heard the others hoist more boxes on the top of his pile and then came the sound of scrambling feet ascending the wobbly pyramid.
"Oh, what a sell for them when they find the roof is empty," chuckled Herc to himself. "I'd give a whole lot just to see their faces."
But with this reflection came another thought. When they found the roof tenantless, would they not make a further search of the room? Undoubtedly, and once they began turning things over, one of the first things they would discover would be Herc.
Under certain conditions Herc's mind worked quickly. It did so now. A sudden idea flashed into his head.
In a trice he had slipped out of his box and stood free. Kenworth had already chinned himself through the window and Saki was following him. In the room were only the spectacled Jap, the white man whom Herc had observed enter the place earlier, and one or two other Japs and white men, all hard-looking characters.
As Herc emerged from his box there came a shout from Kenworth on the roof.
"Confound it all, he's not here!"
"Whoop-ee! No, he isn't; he's right here! Wow!" Like a human battering ram, Herc charged at the pile of boxes. Crash! Bang!
The Dreadnought Boy's broad shoulder struck the wobbly pedestal like the prow of a battleship.