d Ferris, in alarm.

As he spoke the door-knob was turned, and then came the tones of a
woman's voice:

"Let me in, Tommy!"

CHAPTER XVIII.

HAL IN A TIGHT SITUATION.

Before Dick Ferris could say a word or move, Macklin clapped his hand
over the tall boy's mouth.

"Hush!" he muttered. "I'll fix it all right."

A square table stood in one corner of the room, and under it was a
quantity of old bagging.

Macklin seized hold of Hal's body and dragged it toward the table.

Then he shoved the motionless form under the piece of furniture and
covered it with the loose bagging.

The key to the door lay on the floor, and picking it up, Macklin
inserted it in the lock and gave it a turn.

In a second the door was opened and a stout and harsh-looking woman
appeared.

It was Tommy Macklin's wife.

She was a heavy drinker, but she was not a really bad woman at heart.

Had she been as unscrupulous as Macklin himself, the tough would never
have pursued the course he did.

Before the woman could enter the room he met her and cut her short.

"I want you to go upstairs," he said, taking the market basket she
carried from her.

She looked surprised.

"What for?"

"There was a sneak-thief around, and I want you to see if Mary lost
anything."

"A thief? Did he get----"

"No, I didn't give him the chance."

The woman at once turned and went up the flight of stairs leading to the
top floor. She had not seen Ferris, and the tall boy breathed a sigh of
relief as he turned to listen to what Macklin had to say.

"We've got a good chance ter git him out o' der way."

"Out of the way?" whispered Ferris.

"Dat's wot I said."

"You don't mean----"

Ferris stopped short.

"Yes, I do. You say he's an enemy ter you an' Hardwick?"

"He is that."

"Den I'd git him outer der way."

Ferris' lip twitched.

"What would you do with him?"

"I'll show yer." Macklin scratched his matted hair. "Give me dat potato
bag in der closet."

Ferris hesitated, and then, opening the closet in the corner, brought
forth an unusually long potato sack.

Raising up the top part of Hal's body, Macklin slipped the sack over
head and shoulders. Then he tied the string of the sack fast around
Hal's waist.

The tough opened the door and passed out into the hall way.

No one was in sight. Macklin returned to the room.

"Quick, catch him by der legs," he said to Ferris. "I'll take him by der
shoulders, an' we'll have him ou