Before attempting to move away from the spot, he was sensible enough to wait until he had got some fresh breath, and had limbered himself up a little.
Perhaps five minutes later, he started toward the stairs that descended to the vaults below.
It was necessary to approach within a dozen or fifteen feet of the sentinel.
Knowing of the latter's presence, Shadow exercised great caution as he drew near him. Had the sentinel been wide-awake and bright, Shadow could hardly have made the passage undetected.
But the fellow was nodding in a state of half-slumber, and failed to hear the light-footed detective.
Shadow safely reached the head of the stairs, and commenced descending. The descent was safely accomplished, and once in the vault, all danger was passed.
On stepping forth into the streets, his first care was to visit a restaurant; and how he did eat.
"I say," remarked the waiter, after having received a third and a fourth order from Shadow, "I say," and his eyes were big as saucers in his surprise, "be you holler clean down to your heels?"
"I'm hungry, that's all."
"Hungry? Well, I should say so."