The door of the stateroom was locked. But Nick Carter had anticipated that, and already had his jackknife in his hand.
One jab and a turn of the wrist, and open came the stateroom door.
There were two rooms and a bath, it will be remembered, but only one door led to the corridor. The others communicated with each other.
Nick ran into the first room. It was empty!
He hurried to the next. To his surprise, that was unoccupied, too!
He looked into the diminutive bathroom, which was the last of the three. But he was not astonished to see that no one was in there.
“Chief!” bellowed Patsy, outside.
“By all the gods!” exclaimed Nick Carter. “He’s trying to trick us, after all.”
The window of the middle room was wide open, with the curtains flapping idly in the opening.
It was not a large window, but a man not too stout, and who was fairly active, could get through.