The hound moved slowly along. The scent appeared to be very weak. He stuck to it, however, and at last, on reaching the end of the garden, went to the door of a wooden summerhouse fashioned like a Chinese pagoda.
It was built solidly of hard woods. The door was shut.
There was a wide wooden step in front, and here Captain crouched, his nose to the slit under the door.
There was no mistaking the meaning of the dog’s movements. Something or somebody was in the pagoda carrying the scent he had been following.
A cry of terror and apprehension broke from the lips of the girl.
“Oh, Mr. Carter, he is in there, I know. Suppose he should be dead!”
Nick Carter gave Chick a look he understood, and attacked the padlock which held a hasp in place and secured the door.
Chick touched Claudia on the arm and beckoned her away, as if he had something important to say. Nick, with a piece of wire, picked the padlock as deftly as his assistant had the lock of the front door of the house, and threw open the door.
One look inside was enough. Again he turned and gave his assistant the warning look on which he had acted so promptly before.
Chick was not quick enough this time, however. The girl slipped past him and was in the pagoda almost as soon as Nick.