“Yes, you will. I——”
Nick Carter stopped. He had caught the steady thump of an engine, and he remembered that he had heard the sound himself when a prisoner in the cellar.
It had stopped when he made his escape. But it had been set going again.
The detective did not hesitate any longer. He pushed Miguel ahead of him, at the same time pointing one of his pistols at Don Solado.
“Show me the place! Show it to me, quick!” he shouted. “I know it is the cellar. But how do you get down to it? Quick!”
Only the knowledge that Chick was in deadly peril within a few yards of him, and that if he took the time to find out for himself how to reach his prison, it might be too late, prevented Nick Carter from shooting Miguel dead on the spot.
“I’ll show you!” volunteered Solado.
“Fool!” mumbled Miguel, in too low a tone for Nick Carter to hear.
“Where is the door?” demanded Nick.
“Here! In this corner, behind these barrels!” answered Solado. “Here is the key. It is barred outside, too.”