till they were all safely consumed. The grumble which followed from the
old fellow's lips was not the most cheerful sound in the world, but he
went back with his pile. Presently I heard the furnace door rattle and
caught the smell, which I was careful to explain to Ellen as she went
by the library door on her way up-stairs, lest Mrs. Packard should be
alarmed and come running down to see what was the matter.

The next moment Mr. Steele appeared in the doorway.

"Now what are we to do?" said he.

I led the way to what I have sometimes called "the recess" for lack of a
better name.

"This is the place," I cried, adding a few explanations as I saw the
curiosity with which he now surveyed its various features. "Don't you
see now that cabinet leans to the left? I declare it leans more than it
did yesterday; the floor certainly dips at that point."

He cast a glance where I pointed and instinctively put out his hand, but
let it fall as I remarked:

"The cabinet is not so very heavy. If I take out a few of those big
pieces of pottery, don't you think we could lift it away from this
corner?"

"And what would you do then?"

"Tear up the carpet and see what is the matter with this part of the
floor. Perhaps we shall find not only that, but something else of a
still more interesting nature."

He was standing on the sill of what had been the inner doorway. As I
said these words he fell back in careless grace against the panel and
remained leaning there in an easy attitude, assumed possibly just to
show me with what incredulity, and yet with what kindly forbearance he
regarded my childish enthusiasm.

"I don't understand," said he. "What do you expect to find?"

"Some spring or button by which this floor is made to serve the purpose
of a trap. I'm sure that there is an opening underneath--a large
opening. Won't you help me--"

I forgot to finish. In my eagerness to impress him I had turned in
his direction, and was staring straight at his easy figure and faintly
smiling features, when the molding against which he leaned caught my
eye. With a total absence of every other thought than the idea which had
suddenly come to me, I sprang forward and pressed with my whole weight
against one of the edges of the molding which had a darker hue about it
than the rest. I felt it give, felt the floor start from under me at the
same moment, and in another heard the clatter and felt the force of the
toppling cabinet on my shoulder