“But how could he have got the key without our hearing the door open or—” Leonard blinked. “I see! They put the key in the outside before we came home!”
Slim nodded. “Or had it in their pocket. Well, we’ve got to get out somehow. There’s no use raising a riot, for no one will hear us, I guess. Perhaps if we yelled from the window— But, shucks, I wouldn’t give those kids the satisfaction! If there was a transom—”
“How about the window?” interrupted Leonard.
“Rather a long drop, General, with a mighty hard landing. Wait a minute! What fellows of our class are in Haylow? Let’s see. Joe Conklin’s in Number 27, but that’s upstairs and on the back. He’d never hear us. He’s probably on his way, too. Who else is there?”
“Wharton, in 4,” said Leonard. “Let’s raise a row and see if anything happens.”
They did and nothing did happen. After several minutes of shouting and thumping on the door and banging on the floor with a shoe they gave it up. “Looks now,” said Slim, “like I wasn’t so smart in deciding to wait! We’d have been wiser if we’d started earlier!” He crossed to the window, threw it wide and looked down. “I guess I can do it,” he murmured. Then he glanced to the right and said, “Huh, never thought of that!”
Leonard, a shoe in one hand, was still staring perplexedly at the door when Slim summoned him. “Give me a hand here, General,” called Slim. “It’s only about five feet to the next window, and I can make it easy.”
Slim wriggled out of his robe and kicked off his slippers. Leonard followed him through the window and they stood together on the broad ledge, each with a hand hooked under the sash. “Glad those fresh kids aren’t here to see this,” commented Slim. “Get hold of my wrist and hold it close in to the wall. If anything happens, son, let go. Don’t try to hold me. But I’ll make it. All right!”
Slim edged to the end of the ledge, and Leonard slowly followed him. Then, with one hand tight around Slim’s right wrist and the other holding fast to the sash, Leonard pressed his body close against the edge of the embrasure while Slim reached out his left hand for a grip on the stone work about the next window. After a moment he said: “Give me another inch or two if you can.” Leonard obeyed. There was a moment of suspense and then Slim announced: “All right, General. Let go!” Rather fearfully Leonard released the other’s wrist and turned his head to see. Slim was safe on the next sill, raising the lower sash. Then he disappeared, and Leonard climbed back into Number 12. A moment later the door of the next room opened and Slim’s bare feet padded along the corridor. A key turned in the lock in front of Leonard and the door swung in.
“Left the key in the lock,” panted Slim as he entered. “Say, we’ll have to do some hurrying, General! Must be getting close to half-past.”