"I will do just as Curly said he would do. I'll stand by you to the last ditch."
"Are you all ready to obey my orders, exactly as I shall give them?" asked Nick again, slowly.
"We are," came the unanimous response.
"In this case," said the detective, "I am going to make a desperate effort to find out what a bold stroke will do, and here is my plan: We will go back together to that door before which I was standing a moment ago, which, I conclude, from its character, is rather a flimsy——"
"It is that," said Phil.
"And after we get there we will stand silently for a moment, each one of you preparing for the signal which I shall give. When I say, 'Now,' I will throw myself against the door, and burst it open, and as I do so, and leap into the room, you three are to follow me, one after the other, as quickly as possible.
"You, Phil, will make directly for the electric switch, and you will see to it, no matter what happens, that the room is not plunged in darkness.
"You, Curly—by the way, have you any weapons about you?"
"I have got two guns in my pocket, all right."
"Very well; you, Curly, the moment you get into the room, will draw your two guns, and level them at the crowd.