ch swung very close to the house. Could he make
his way out of the window, then he could swing onto the branch, and so
descend to the ground with no danger of being discovered.

The only element of danger was that the man should wake as he was making
his escape. Still Garry reflected, he had been in a tight place ever
since the moment he had entered the passageway, and this would be no
worse.

Assuring himself that the man was still sleeping soundly, he began to
edge his way from under the bed. His way across the floor was one of
infinite precaution, taking many minutes. After he had squirmed for a
foot or so, he would stop and listen to see if the regular breathing of
the man on the bed continued. Once as he was half way across the floor,
he heard a creak, as the sleeper rolled over in his slumbers.

Garry didn't dare to move for nearly five minutes after this. Then he
started again, and after what seemed an age, reached the window.

Cautiously he raised himself up, and thrust a leg out of the window.
Then followed the other, and he was sitting on the sill. Leaning out, he
let his body fall towards the limb, caught it, and swung clear of the
window.

In a trice he had thrown his leg up over the tree, his practice in the
gymnasium making this an easy feat. Crawling carefully along the limb,
he worked his way to the trunk, and then the descent to the ground was
accomplished without trouble. Without bothering to put on his shoepacks,
he sped away from the house.

Finally he reached the road, and here he slipped the heavy shoepacks on,
and in a few moments had rejoined his companions where they were
nervously waiting under the big elm.

They hailed his coming with delight, pounding him on the back and
shaking hands gleefully.

"What luck, old topper?" was Dick's first question.

"All the luck in the world, boys. Tonight our quest was crowned with
success!"

CHAPTER XVIII.

FERNALD COMES.

"Tell us all about it," demanded Phil.

"All in good time," responded Garry. "First thing to do now is to put a
bit of distance between us and that house. Don't want any of that gang
to come and find us snooping around. Everything has gone as slick as a
whistle so far, and we don't want any foolish oversight to queer it. I
move we make a break for town and hive in somewhere and wait for
daylight. Of course we can go to Everett's house, but we shouldn't bust
in on him in the middle of the night. He's a sick man, yo