“Good thing there is a black shadow back here,” thought Chick. “But for that he must have seen me.”
The fellow went back to his table and resumed work there. His manner was that of one who had a long night’s work ahead of him, and Chick had difficulty in repressing a loud groan.
“If the chief and the police would come!” he prayed. “That’s about my only hope!”
He listened eagerly to catch the slightest sound from the hall leading to the stairs to the cellar. If he could have heard anything, he would have felt pretty sure that the raiding party had arrived.
Suddenly he believed he could make out the shuffling of feet in the hall. He was not sure, but he thought the sound of feet, as well as of men whispering, came to him.
“If this big man at the table hears it, too, then there will be a circus. I’ll take a wallop at him myself, so long as I know I have friends to see that I get a square deal.”
Chick did not want any more than an equal chance. In fact, he was willing to give some odds. But he did not think he was called upon to give cards and spades, big and little casino, and everything else, to the enemy.
But it seemed now as if he must take a big, sporting chance.
Just as he was gathering the little strength he had left, to make a desperate attempt to overcome the giant at the table, he was sure he had heard a noise in the hall. There was no mistake about it now. Not only in the hall, but upstairs!