he old woman is."

Roach sighed, and went away, to return shivering.

"She looks horrible," he whispered; "but you mustn't think of powder, my
lad. You'll bring the people in from both sides to see what's the
matter."

"Won't make noise enough for that, and I sha'n't use enough," said
Arthur, coolly. "Don't talk. That door's got to come open, and I wish
I'd tried this plan at first."

"But it's too dangerous."

"No, it isn't. You keep quiet, and make that light shine well on the
key-hole."

As he spoke the young man took a pound canister of fine gun-powder from
the portmanteau pushing the latter afterwards outside into the passage.
Then with a small funnel, also provided in the portmanteau, and fitted
with a curved piece of pipe, to fill the interior of the lock with the
fine black dust, which ran away down the funnel and pipe as easily as
sand from one side to another of an hour-glass.

"This is the way," said Arthur, eagerly. "I shall get pretty well half
a pound in."

It seemed quite probable, for the powder ran trickling on, every
stoppage being overcome by a shake or a tap or two, till at last, no
matter how the door was rapped, no more would go down.

"Doesn't matter; there's plenty," said the young man, quietly, thrusting
in a piece of ready prepared slow match, which hung down the front of
the door and half a yard over the floor, where the powder sprinkled
about was carefully dusted away.

Then by means of a wedge some scraps of rag were driven in tightly to
fill up the key-hole, and the young man rose up.

"There we are, old chap," he said. "All we've got to do is to open the
lantern, touch the end of that slow match in the light, let it go down--
stop a minute, let's blow away a little more of the powder--then
there'll be plenty of time to shut and lock the door, wait for the
blow-out of the lock, and go in after and pick up the best pieces, fill
our Gladstones as we like and be off."

He went down on his knees, and, trembling violently, Roach held up the
lantern, as he stood quiet outside now.

"Here! How am I to see?" cried his companion, angrily.

"But it isn't safe to bring a light near the powder."

"Bosh! How can a light behind glass do any harm? Come closer, I
mustn't leave any powder near the slow match. That's better; I can see
now, and--Ah! take care."

For all at once the butler fell over him with a crash, the lantern
struck against the opposite wall and came open, the