“Do we beat it now?” whispered Chick.
“Yes! Quick!”
The secret panel swung open, and the chief shoved his assistant ahead of him through the opening. Ere he could follow, he heard Louden Powers’ voice remarking, with a shiver:
“What’s that? A window open? Hurry, Lampton! He’s getting out that way! Come on! We’ll fool him yet!”
Nick slipped through the narrow doorway made by the opening of the panel, and, as he closed it softly, he whispered to his assistant, with a low laugh:
“Looks to me as if they are the persons who are fooled!”
CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE ELDER JARVIS.
Although the adventure had not turned out as satisfactorily as he could have wished, Nick felt that he had made some gain toward getting at the truth with regard to the identity of Howard Milmarsh.