"Then let me up."
"I won't."
"All right. You must take the consequences."
As he spoke Dan dextrously pulled the spigot from a keg, and Donovan, to his dismay, heard the precious liquid—precious in his eyes—pouring out upon the floor.
With an exertion he raised the trap-door, hastily descended the ladder, and rushed to the keg to replace the spigot.
Meanwhile Dan ran up the ladder, pulled it after him, and made his late jailer a captive.
"Put down the ladder, you young rascal!" roared Donovan, when, turning from his work, he saw how the tables had been turned.
"It wouldn't be convenient just yet," answered Dan, coolly.
He shut the trap-door, hastily lugged the ladder to the rear of the house (unobserved, for there were no customers present), then dashed up stairs and beckoned to Althea to follow him. There was no obstacle, for Mrs. Donovan was stupefied by liquor.