he weapons were carefully
examined to make certain they were in good working order, and then
there was nothing to be done but await the coming of night.

All hands were both hungry and thirsty; but since nothing could be done
to relieve their wants no one complained.

When the night had fully settled down Harvey laid his hand on Jet's
shoulder to signify that he was ready, for the prisoner was to be kept
in ignorance concerning their movements, and the two, followed by one
of the other detectives, descended to the kitchen.

"Barricade the door as soon as we go out," the leader whispered, "for
it isn't impossible that the men have crept nearer the building since
sunset."

"Suppose you should meet them before getting out of the house?"

"Then we must fight alone, unless you can aid us from the upper window,
for I would rather get the worst of it than to let that fellow escape.
Follow me, Jet, and don't attempt to go ahead."

Harvey opened the door softly, dropped to his hands and knees, and
crawled into the yard.

Jet copied every movement, and the two worked their way toward the
barn, stopping every few feet to listen for some sound from the enemy.

All was quiet as the grave, and not even so much as the rustling of the
leaves broke the stillness.

The barn door was not fastened, and Harvey pulled it open a short
distance, rising to his feet as he gained the entrance.

A moment later the two were in the building groping their way from one
point to another in the hope of finding a place of exit.

Now Harvey stopped for a final word.

"If it should happen that those fellows on the outside get the best of
me, make every effort to escape."

"Not at the cost of leaving you alone."

"At any price, so that you can telegraph in my name for more men to be
sent up."

"Do you want the inspector to know it?"

"No; wire the chief of police at Albany, and wait at the first station
you reach for them to come. Here is money."

He handed Jet what seemed like quite a large roll of bills, and then
advanced in the darkness once more.

By good fortune rather than skill he found, a moment later, that for
which he was seeking.

A small window, used for throwing out offal, was before him, and
through this he crawled, turning, as he gained the outside, to assist
Jet.

They were now in the shadow of the building with a cleared space of
about twenty yards to be traversed before they could gain the shelter
of the trees.