He turned off his flash, and stood in the darkness, considering. The voice of Chick came from below:
“Hello, chief! Are you there?”
“Yes,” answered Nick guardedly. “What have you found?”
“Nothing much. But it may have something to do with the case that the next house to this is empty. The people who live here are away—gone to California for two months. Went a week ago. Ruggins told me.”
“Ruggins? Oh, yes—the butler. Well? Has anybody been seen in the house since the family went? I suppose there is a caretaker?”
“Yes. There is an old man who lives there by himself. But he hasn’t been seen for three days. That’s what I wanted to tell you.”
“Any lights in the house?”
“Yes. The light in the room the old man uses, in the basement, has been going to-night. Before that it was dark. Now it is dark again.”
“Come up here, Chick, to the study. I’ll open the door.”
Nick Carter went through the window, carefully closing it and pulling the heavy curtains back into place. Then he opened the door, and, as soon as Chick was inside, closed it again.