“Let me up,” he pleaded, “and I’ll go off without taking your gold.”
“I don’t mean that you shall,” said Tom coolly. “You can’t get at it.”
“Why not?”
“It isn’t down there at all.”
“Then you deceived me,” exclaimed the baffled villain.
“Of course I did, and would do it again.”
“Are you going to let me out?” demanded the burglar, knocking furiously at the trap-door.
“Not till morning.”
There was no doubt about it. The burglar had been completely outwitted and trapped by a boy. That was the most humiliating part of it. If he could have got at our hero then, there is little doubt that he would have put him to death without a moment’s hesitation. But luckily for Tom there was a good plank flooring between, and a trap-door which was secured by two strong bolts. But Tom did not feel quite secure. There was an egress from the cellar at one side. If the ruffian should discover this, his peril would be extreme.