"Not a word!" he whispered. "That must be Ollie Merton, and we don't want him to see us. There's an overturned catboat—get under it."
Lorry tried to protest, but Matt caught him by the arm and hustled him toward the overturned boat. The boat had been lying under the boys' eyes during their talk. Barely had they secreted themselves when the door opened and two persons walked in, followed by a whirling gust of rain.
"Whoosh!" called a familiar voice, "I'm glad to get out of that, Ollie."
"Big John!" whispered Matt in Lorry's ear. "He's come here with Merton. Keep quiet, now, and listen."
[CHAPTER XIII.]
UNDER THE OVERTURNED BOAT.
When Matt, Lorry, and McGlory had made forcible entrance into the boathouse, it had been through the door that fronted the river. Merton and Big John had entered through a door at the other end of the house. Thus, for a time, at least, the broken lock on the other door was not discovered.
"Light up," went on the voice of Big John. "And if you've got anything in a bottle, Ollie, trot it out and mebby it'll drive the chill from our bones. I'm not pinin' for an attack of rheumatism."
"I've got that, too," answered Ollie, with a fatuous snicker. "Always keep something for snake bites."