Yet, for the most part ignorant of all this, he slept well that night and appeared next morning, suitcase in hand, ready for work at the door of that mystery house. In the broad light of day the place had lost much of its air of mystery.
He was relieved to find Felix Van Loon sitting on the doorstep waiting for him.
“Won’t have to run the gauntlet of eyes in the wall and submit my skeleton for inspection this time,” he whispered to himself.
“Come on in and have a cup of coffee with me before we get down to work,” the other boy welcomed.
“Be glad to,” Johnny answered.
“Watch!” Felix said a moment later. He pressed a button, then shot a wooden panel to one side, revealing a recess.
In that dark hole in the wall things began to happen. Two electric coils began to light up. At the same time Johnny noted with a start that two red eyes were gleaming from the darkest corner.
“Eyes,” Felix murmured. “They’ll do your work if you let them.”
Felix made no further comment. Johnny did not feel free to ask questions about the riddle of the “Eye.”
Dropping into a chair, Felix stared for a full two minutes at a crack in the floor. Then with a start he sprang to his feet, threw open a second panel and proceeded to draw forth a steaming pot of coffee and a plate of toast. Johnny recalled the professor’s remarks regarding the “Eye” but said nothing.