For the first time since his arrival at the house, Bob Stevens showed traces of excitement in his face, but his voice was calm when he spoke.
"Get a rope, quickly. A long one," he commanded.
Ruth, Olive and Tommy crowded into the narrow opening, unable to restrain their impatience longer.
"Be careful," warned Bob. "This floor doesn't seem to be very strong."
The three held their ground, however.
"Hello-o-o down there! Are you hurt?"
They were unable to distinguish the words of the reply, but it evidently was made by Barbara.
"There's a ladder," exclaimed Tommy, starting to go down it. Stevens hauled him back.
"Keep out. It looks shaky. I am going down there myself. That's why I sent for a rope. I don't want to fall in, too. Men, I want you to stand by to lend a hand on the rope. Keep it fairly taut, but don't hold me back."
When all the arrangements had been made, Bob started down the ladder. He had gone not more than four or five feet when he found that the ladder extended no further. It appeared to have been broken off. He called to the men to lower away. Finally his feet reached something soft. At first the horrified thought came to him that it was the body of one of the girls for whom he was in search. Instead, what he had found proved to be a piece of an old mattress with a bundle of old clothes heaped on it. This was something like seven feet from the opening through which he had descended.