Having grimly settled upon the task, he now wormed about a bit in the hamper, striving to free his revolver from his hip pocket.
The bloodhound instantly redoubled his growling.
“You be hanged!” muttered Patsy resentfully. “I’ll presently silence you with a chunk of lead.”
He had succeeded in getting hold of the butt of his revolver.
Before he could free the weapon from his pocket, however, the shrill voice of Vic Clayton sounded through the basement, as she and Claudia Badger came hurrying from the inner extension.
“What’s the matter with Pluto?” she cried, as she approached.
“There’s something wrong out here,” declared Claudia.
The instant the dog heard his name mentioned, all the restrained passions and fierce instincts of the brute leaped violently into play.
With a tremendous snarling and barking he bounded up at the hamper, clawing at it with might and main, as if bent upon devouring all that it contained.