Hardly were his preparations completed, when the trap-door under the table was raised up and a man, of no very prepossessing appearance, showed his head.
No sooner had he crawled out from under the table than another and younger man appeared.
"Shust help me out, Parney," said this last. "I've got my goat caught mit this hook here."
Barney unhooked his companion's coat and helped him to his feet.
"You thundering fool," he growled, "why will you persist in wearing that great, heavy, conspicuous-looking coat at all times and seasons of the year? It will get you into some cursed trouble yet."
"Ah, my tear Parney, dot vos a goot goats—it vos a perfect goats; shust think uf all der bockets, und vot er lot uf shwag I vos able ter garry avay mit 'em."
"Well, well, I see you're stuck on the blamed coat, and so I'll say no more about the outlandish-looking thing just now. But come, sit down there, and let's get to business."
"Vate a minute, Parney. Let's make sure der bolice hain't struck der blace since ve vos here," and the young Hebrew picked up the dark-lantern Barney had placed on the table, and disappeared in the tunnel, in the direction of the Ernst basement.
He was gone some minutes. When he returned he exclaimed, somewhat excitedly:
"So 'elp me gracious, Parney, dere vos somepody peen in der tunnels since ve vos 'ere pefore!"