This was what Nick had hoped, for it gave him an opportunity to dispose of his two captives at such distance from the rooms which Benton occupied that their cries, muffled by the gags, could not be heard.
A partition divided the cellar, and there was a door in it. Nick made his prisoners secure on the other side of this door, and then he returned to the room in which he had captured them.
Here he speedily, but very carefully, disguised himself as Ellis Benton.
Then, extinguishing his light, he put it into his pocket, and made his way along the hall toward the rear door.
He passed out into the little yard, and thence to the alley where he had left Patsy.
The fate of his young assistant was a black problem in Nick’s mind. He greatly feared that Patsy had been murdered.
Therefore his satisfaction was great when, in the mouth of the alley, he found Patsy leaning against the wall.
Nick disclosed himself.
“They pretty nearly did me up, Nick,” said Patsy. “I guess they left me for dead. But I’m worth half a dozen dead men.”
“How did it happen, my boy?”