tle thrill of horror crossed
him as the idea of a reptile being in their bed, flashed over his brain.
Again he felt the touch, cold and clammy against his side; and, intending
to grab the serpent, if such it was, and hurl it from the bed, with a
quick movement of his arm he made a desperate grab. He caught and for but
an instant held a human hand, large and coarse.

"John!" Ree spoke the name with startled emphasis, and its owner rose up
in bed like a flash.

"What? What is it?"

"There is some one in this room! He has been reaching into the bed,
trying to rob us."

As he spoke Ree sprang out upon the floor. "And here's the window open!
That shows where he came in. Get your pistol and be ready to fire if he
tries to jump out. I am going to skirmish for the rascal!"

Faint rays of moonlight made the room not entirely dark, but Ree could
see no sign of the intruder as he stepped softly to the middle of the
floor. It was a useless action; for, as he was between the three dark
walls and the window in the outer wall, the robber could easily see him
without being seen himself. It was a fault of Return Kingdom's that he
did not properly consider his own safety, and the wonder is that he did
not in this instance become the target for a bullet.

"I'd better yell for help," suggested John.

"You'd better not!" said Ree emphatically, peering into the dark corners.
"I cannot be mistaken, but if I should be--well we don't care to be
laughed at."

Not a sound was heard as both boys remained perfectly quiet. Then on
tip-toe Ree went to all the corners of the room, his left hand
outstretched before him while his right held a pistol ready for instant
use.

"John, did you sneeze?" he demanded as a smothered "kerchoo" came from
the direction of his friend.

"He's under the bed, Ree! He's under the bed! Call help!" This was John's
answer and his tone was sharp with excitement.

In a trice Ree was at the foot of the bed and looking beneath it. A dark
object there moved slightly.

"Come out of that!" Ree sternly demanded, and the click of his pistol as
he cocked the weapon sounded loud and clear. At the same moment the
object beneath the four-poster began to crawl and soon coming forth,
stood erect--the stranger the boys had met at supper.

"Oh, it's you, is it?" ejaculated Ree with an inflection of contempt in
his voice; but the next instant the intruder's hands were about his
throat.

"Help! Help!" yelled John Jerome.