He arrived just in time to see the slider drop to earth. It was Spider.
“Quite a sky-slider, I am!” he chuckled.
“Well done!” exclaimed Johnny. “Did you see him?”
“Not very clearly. He’s a man, all right. And he’s a tiger. Nearly got me. Never again!”
Spider led the way off the grounds.
And so for the time the mystery of the Whisperer remained unsolved. Only this was known with a fair degree of certainty: his place of retreat was one high tower of the Sky Ride.
CHAPTER XXI
CHRISTMAS EVE
The dawn of the day before Christmas arrived and with it, in Grace Krowl’s tiny parlor, came the hoarse whisper of the mysterious one:
“Tonight,” it insisted, “you will not fail me. It is for the good of all. You owe us more than you know. It is we who beautified your living quarters. Your coming disturbed our plans. But if you do this thing for us you shall be forgiven.”
“Plans.” It was her turn to whisper. “What plans?” She wanted to know.