“Curse the bolt!” exclaimed the disappointed burglar. “I shall have to smash it in!”
Just then, however, Andy sprang from the bed, and, under the circumstances, Hogan felt glad. He could frighten the boy into turning the fastening, and admitting him.
As Andy rose, he grasped the old musket, and, not without a thrill of excitement, faced the scoundrel.
If the gun had been loaded, he would have felt safe, but he knew very well that he could do no harm with it.
Mike Hogan saw the gun, but he was not a coward, and he felt convinced that Andy would not dare to use it, though he supposed it to be loaded.
“What do you want?” called out Andy, in a firm voice.
“Open this window!” cried Hogan, in a tone of command.
He was not afraid of being heard by other parties, on account of the isolated position of the house.
As he spoke, he tugged at the frame of the window; but, of course, without success.