In a few moments the German entered, and he listened, grim and unwinking, to the detective’s instructions.
“Here I shall stand,” said he, “until you tell me—no more.”
“That’s enough—if you keep your eyes open.” Then to Scanlon Ashton-Kirk said: “Do you think you could find a hatchet?”
“I’ll have one in a minute,” replied the big man.
He produced one from the storeroom. Ashton-Kirk then went to the outer gate and blew a shrill signal. Almost at once Burgess and his companion appeared out of the darkness, and followed the special detective into the castle. Then the electric torch flashed along the vault steps as the five descended. The door closed and Kretz was heard to shoot the heavy bolts.
“It’s rather early to expect anything definite,” said the crime specialist. “But you’d better see that your weapons are ready, for all that.”
And when they reached the floor of the vault each had a heavy automatic in his hand. Quickly they went through the place and found it empty.
“No one here,” said Mr. Scanlon, fingering the grip of his weapon regretfully. Then in another tone he added, to Ashton-Kirk: “But, I say, what makes you think there will be?”
“Some days ago,” replied the special detective, “in my journeying about in the guise of an invalid, I came across a boat hidden along the river bank, and the indications were very strong that it belonged to the people at the inn.”
“Well?” asked Scanlon.