others.

In the shed all was dark and soon Sam stumbled over some blocks of wood
and fell headlong.

"Confound the darkness," he muttered. "We ought to have brought a
light."

"I've got one," answered Dick, and feeling in his pocket he produced
one of the new-style electric pocket lights. He pushed the button and
instantly the light flashed out, as from a bull's-eye lantern.

"Hurrah, that's a good thing!" cried Tom. "By the way, isn't it queer
there is no watchman here?"

"Maybe the night watchman hasn't got around yet," answered Dick, and
struck the truth.

They began to move around the shed, much to the alarm of both Dan
Baxter and Lew Flapp.

"I don't see any trace--" began Dick, when of a sudden the light landed
fairly and squarely on Baxter's face. Then it shifted to the face of
Lew Flapp.

"The old Harry take you, Dick Rover!" yelled Baxter, in a sudden rage,
and throwing his whole weight against the pile of boards on which the
eldest Rover was standing, he caused it to go over, hurling Dick flat
on his back on the floor.

"Dick, are you hurt?" called out Tom. The electric light had been
broken, and all was pitch-dark.

"I--I guess--not," answered Dick. "But it was a close shave."

"They are getting out!" came from Sam, as he heard a scuffling of feet.

"No--they are going into the factory," shouted Tom. "Stop, Baxter! Stop,
Flapp! If you don't--Oh!"

Tom's cry came to a sudden end, for without warning a billet of wood
struck him fairly on top of the head and he went down as if shot.

By this time Dick was on his feet.

"What's up, Tom?"

"I--I--oh, my head?"

"Did somebody hit you?"

"Yes."

Sam was running after Baxter and Flapp. But they reached the factory
first and banged the door full in the face of the youngest Rover.

"Open that door, Dan Baxter!" called out Sam.

"All right!" was the sudden reply, and open flew the door. Then down on
poor Sam's head came a heavy billet of wood and he pitched backward
unconscious. Then the door was closed once more and locked from the
inside.

CHAPTER XX

DAYS OF PLEASURE

"Sam! Sam! Speak to us!"

It was Dick who uttered the words, as he knelt beside his youngest
brother and caught his hands. Tom was just staggering up.

But Sam was past speaking, and made no reply.

"What's the matter, Dick?" asked Tom.

"Poor Sam is knocked out completely. I don't know but what they have
killed him."

"Oh, don't say that!"

"Have you