Varley was more puzzling. Unquestionably the city boy was under a greater strain than his comrades, because of the entire novelty of his surroundings. The others knew more or less about abandoned farmhouses, but such a place as the Dominie Pike homestead was wholly strange to Paul. Seemingly, he was of good courage, and his conduct won Sam’s approving respect.
Oddly enough, Tom Orkney presented another problem. Tom ordinarily was a reticent, self-contained fellow; but this night he took a leading share in the talk. He appeared to be intensely interested in everything he could learn about the old Dominie, and plied Lon with queries. Finally, he borrowed the Shark’s stump of pine wood, lighted it, and began a careful examination of the room. This finished, he restored the torch to its owner and guardian, who promptly extinguished the flame and stowed the precious remnant in an inside pocket of his jacket.
“Well, found out anything?” Sam asked, as Tom dropped beside him.
“I don’t know—I’m not certain,” Orkney answered slowly. “Somehow, though, I think I’ve got a line or two. I believe this room was the Dominie’s own—his study, maybe.”
“What! An up-stairs study?”
“Sounds unreasonable, I’ll admit, considering the plain living of the old days. But there’s a fireplace, and it looks as if there was a sort of closet on each side of the chimney, or hiding place—I don’t know exactly what to call it. What makes me think so? Well, I can’t be sure, but I suspect there’s wood fitted in among the bricks and made to look just like them. Anyway, that’s the feel of it!”
“The feel?” Sam asked skeptically.
“Try it yourself. Come along—I’ll show you,” said Orkney, and got upon his feet. Sam, too, rose.
Orkney made his way back to the chimney, Sam following. There, under Tom’s direction, he groped about the brickwork, without arriving at any clear conclusion.
“If I could see anything, it would be different,” he remarked. “But this thing—say, my fingers are numb, anyway! I can’t feel anything but clammy dampness. But what’s the idea you’re working on?”