“Maybe we should. Tell him we’ll bring a doctor.”
Judy told him, but “Leave me alone!” was the only answer.
“Who are you?” called Horace. To this and more questions both he and Judy asked there was no answer. The man was through talking and told them so by silence. The air became heavy and oppressive as they waited. From time to time they would call more questions or offer help only to hear their own echoes sounding hollow in the tunnel. There was, Judy noticed presently, one other sound.
“Hear it!” she whispered. “Let’s find out what it is. It sounds like someone breathing.”
“Maybe it’s a dragon breathing fire.” Horace was trying to be funny to keep up his spirits. “I’m not feeling like St. George this morning.”
“You are a hero,” Judy reminded him. “It was in all the papers. ‘Hero of the Roulsville flood—’”
“Cut it out, sis! You know I was scared silly. I’m not wearing my suit of armor.” Judy knew he was remembering another equally shivery adventure in a ruined castle. “I could use it, though,” he added. “Now what are we up against?”
“It looks like another pipe,” replied Judy, turning on her own flashlight to see it better. “There’s a brick wall beyond it. But what’s beyond that?”
Led on by curiosity, Judy soon discovered another locked door. No moans came from behind it, and when she knocked and called there was no answer. There wasn’t a sound except—
Judy turned quickly. The sound now came from a definite direction. Was it something burning? The air was suddenly warm against her face.