“Hundred per cent!” There was no hesitation in Johnny’s tone. For all that, there was a sense of dizziness in his head. He was seeing again the living skeletons, one with a knife on its hip, the other with a blade hanging from its bony fingers.
“All right,” said Felix, “let’s go!”
“But why should we change the switch boxes in that place?” Johnny asked.
“Rule one of our clan is, ‘No questions asked’!” Felix chuckled.
A moment more and a key turned in a lock. They found themselves in an ancient parlor. The place was dark and silent, reeking with mystery.
“Here you are.” Felix handed Johnny a large flashlight. “Just focus that on my hands while I work. Won’t try to raise the shades. Might disturb our friends upstairs. Might—Sh! Listen!” The red-haired boy backed against the wall.
Involuntarily Johnny gripped the handle of a hammer with his free hand. The memory of a knife blade protruding from a sleeve was fresh in his mind.
For a space of seconds the two boys remained motionless.
“Thought I heard something.” Felix moved forward. A moment more and his long capable fingers, trembling slightly, were busy removing an electric punch button from the wall.
“Good!” he whispered. “Hole’s large enough.”