Entering the inner apartment of the tomb, Frank found that the boy had spoken the truth.
Barney the boot-black sat smoking a clay pipe by the side of the table, upon which was a loaf of bread and a mug.
"Hello! I know'd you'd come!" said the bootblack, springing up. "Have you had your supper? I kept some in case you didn't."
"Thank you. I've had all I want," replied Frank, sinking wearily upon an old stool. "I'm tremendously obliged to you fellows for your kindness to me. Mebbe I shall be able to return it some of these days."
"That's all right," put in Jerry Buck. "If I can help any friend of Barney's, I'm glad to do it."
"Hush!" cried Barney, holding up his finger warningly as Frank was about to reply. "Jerry, as true as I live there's some one up above. I didn't hear no signal, did you?"
The three boys stood motionless.
Above their heads, at the top of the ladder, down which Frank had seen the two boys descend upon the occasion of his first visit to the tomb, a grating sound was heard—such a sound as might be made by the rising of a tightly-fitting trap-door.
At the same instant two feet were seen upon the top round of the ladder, which, descending, were followed by the legs and body of a man.
"Twigged at last, by thunder!" exclaimed Jerry Buck, uttering a warning cry, which had the effect of instantly arousing several sleeping boyish forms stretched upon pieces of old carpet at various angles upon the floor.