"The woodshed roof is just below this window," said Watson, "and there's a ladder against the shed. If any one really wanted to break into this house, he would have an easy job of it tonight."
"Houses burgled while you wait," laughed Ralston, excitedly.
"It looks all right," said Burton. "Now, if anything is to happen, we'd better keep quiet."
They settled into convenient chairs to wait.
To set a trap is one thing. To catch the quarry is quite another. It does not always follow the setting of the trap, even when there are tracks enough on the ground to warrant some confidence. Burton realized keenly that there were a thousand chances for his failure to one for success. And yet something that was more like the intuition of the hunter than plain reason kept him quietly hopeful through the draggingly slow minutes. He had set the day as the limit of their vigil, and though he could not read the face of his watch he knew that they must have been sitting quiet for something like an hour when there was the sudden tinkle of the telephone bell downstairs.
"Don't answer it," he murmured, as Watson rose softly.
"I must," Watson answered, in the same undertone. "No one outside can either see or hear me. It may be something important."
He went softly down the stairs and they heard him close the door of the room below before he answered the call.
"I'll bet you something has happened to Selby," said Ralston, a quiver of excitement in his guarded voice. "Take me up? Come, now, before Watson gets back! I'll make it two to one! In anything you like. Three to one! Five to one!"
"Cut that out," said Burton impatiently. "Keep still." He fancied he had heard a sound outside, and every nerve was strained to make sure of it.