Chuck was not gone ten minutes before he returned with Mack, who had used the dark-lantern in the road. They came back in a hurry, and both of them seemed to be in a flurry. If they were professional burglars, they certainly lacked the coolness of long practice. The dark-lantern had been put out, and Dory could not see the faces of any of the trio.
"They are after us!" exclaimed Mack, with no little trepidation in his manner.
"Of course they are after us," replied Angy, who appeared to be the chief of the party. "The whole neighborhood will be out, for they rung that bell long enough and loud enough to wake the dead. But we are all right now, and you needn't vex your gizzard about any thing."
"But it is daylight, and it will soon be light enough to show us up to all the world," added Mack.
"Dry up, Mack! I am running this machine, and I shall see you through," replied Angy sharply.
The leader took the prisoner by the collar of his coat, and led him to the boat, which the wind had driven back to the beach. He was placed in the bow, while Angy seated himself in the stern. The other two took the oars, and the boat was shoved off.
CHAPTER VII.
THE EFFECTS OF THE EXPLOSION.
Captain Gildrock seemed to sleep the sleep of the just while he was still in the flesh, for he did not immediately appear at the office, as Dory expected. The mansion was some distance from the scene of operations. He heard the earliest peals of the bell on the dormitory; but, unfortunately, Mrs. Dornwood had also heard it, and had been terribly excited by it. The explosion had roused her from her slumbers, though the distance made it less effective at the mansion than at the dormitory.
The good lady was almost in hysterics; and it had taken the captain some time to quiet her, though at last he was able to leave her in the care of Marian. She was sure that the students would all be burned to death, her son among them; for the idea of any other calamity than fire, had not occurred to them.
Captain Gildrock had not heard the explosion; and the ringing of the bell had assured him that no one would be burned to death, though he found it very difficult to make his sister comprehend the absurdity of her fears. He looked out of the window as soon as he left his bed; and, as he could see no light, he was satisfied that the fire had not yet made much progress.