oom to room they went, they ascended the stairs, they spoke in
whispers.

The sun shone in upon the floor, but it brought nothing of cheer to the
deserted building. It seemed like a mocking attempt to make the place
look pleasant, an attempt that served to show its dreary desolation all
the more plainly.

"He is not here," whispered Bart.

"The basement," came from Bruce. "It was there that I found him when he
disappeared the other time."

Down the creaking stairs they went, Browning taking the lead now. The
door at the head of the stairs leading into the dark basement was open.

"Just as we left it," declared the big fellow. "It was fastened in the
first place, so Merry said. He had to force it open."

They lighted matches as they went down the stairs into the basement. The
place was dismal enough, filled with old boxes and barrels.

"Frank!"

Browning called, causing Hodge to start and drop his match. Then they
stood still and listened.

Squeak! squeak!

A rat scampered across the ground beneath their feet.

That was all. There was no answer to Browning's call.

"He is not here."

"No."

They lost little time in hastening up the stairs and getting out of the
old building. As soon as they were in the open air they drew deep
breaths, for they had been stifled and oppressed.

"Where next?" asked Bart.

"The house," said Bruce. "We must not go away without looking through
that."

"Can we get in?"

"We will find a way--or make it!"

CHAPTER XXVI.

AGAIN AT THE GRAVE.

The door of the house would not open for them. Bruce threatened to burst
it in with his shoulders, but Bart advised him not to do so, unless as a
last resort.

Then a window was found that would open, and soon they had clambered in.

There was some furniture in the house, but still the place had the same
dreary, deserted air of the big building they had just left.

Browning began by shouting Frank's name, to which cry there was no
answer. The rising wind rattled a loose window.

It did not take them long to go through the house, to which there was no
cellar, and they found nothing to indicate that a human being had
entered the place for months.

As they stood outside, after getting out of the window and closing it
behind them, they looked at each other in a helpless manner.

"What has become of him?" asked Bart, huskily.

"That is what I would like to know," confessed Bruce. "He seems to have
disappeared complete