HAL IS EXPOSED.
The moment that Hardwick made his announcement, Parsons sprang to the
front door and locked it.
"Carson!" muttered Allen. "Hardwick, you were right, he is nothing more
nor less than a spy."
When Tommy Macklin saw the face of Hal he grew pale as death.
"Carson!" he gasped, falling back.
"What's the matter with you?" demanded Hardwick.
"Dat's der chap wot followed Ferris ter my house."
"Followed Ferris. When?"
"Der night he brung me dat letter from you about dat bus'ness over to
der--you know."
"You are sure?"
"Sure," repeated Macklin, in deep disgust. "I t'ink I am."
"How did you happen to catch him?"
"He was spyin' at der door, same as here. We collared him, and knocked
him down. I t'ought he was dead, an' me an' Ferris chucked him in a vat
in der cellar of der old pickle factory."
"Ferris said nothing of this to me," said Hardwick.
"He was most scared stiff, dat feller was," replied Macklin,
disdainfully. "I guess he t'ought he would not say nuthin' ter nobody."
During this time Hal had not said a word, but now he spoke up.
"What do you intend to do with me?" he asked.
"You'll see fast enough," replied Hardwick. "We have got you fast this
time. Do you know what I think? I think you are the same fellow that I
met in the lumber-yard."
"And if I am, Hardwick, what of it?"
"It will go so much the harder with you."
"Let us bind him so he cannot escape," said Allen. "He is a dangerous
young man to have loose."
"There is a rope in the closet," said Parsons. "Bind him with that, if
you want to."
The rope was speedily brought forth, and Hal was bound hands and feet.
There was no use trying to escape, and consequently he did not undertake
to do so.
"Put him in the closet," ordered the broker, when the job of binding Hal
was completed.
"Gag him first," cautioned Hardwick. "We don't want him to raise the
roof, if he's left alone. We'll fix him later."
The gag was inserted in Hal's mouth, and then he was lifted up by
Macklin and the others and dumped into the corner of the closet, and the
door was closed and locked upon him.
From the closet, which was damp and cold, he could hear the confused
murmur of voices, but could not make out a word of what was being said.
The murmur continued fully half an hour, and then all became as silent
as the grave.
Hal was all but suffocated by the rude gag which had been forced into
his mouth. All was dark, and his position was a painful one, not only
mentally, but bodily as well.
What the rogues intended to do with him he did not know. If only he
could free himself and get away!
With might and main he tugged at the rope which bound his hands. At
first it remained tight, but at last it loosened sufficiently to allow
him to slip out his right hand.
The left soon followed; and Hal's next work was to remove the gag from
his mouth. What a relief it was to once more close his mouth!
His feet freed, the boy looked about for some means by which to escape
from the closet. The door was locked, as has been mentioned, but it was
a poor affair, and Hal knew he could easily force it open with his
shoulder.
Before proceeding to this extremity, he listened intently. It must be
near three o'clock, and he wondered if all the others had left.
Suddenly voices broke upon his ear, and he heard Hardwick and Macklin
enter the rear office. By applying his ear to the key-hole Hal heard
what was said. If they opened the closet door, he determined to make a
bold dash for liberty.
"How much is der in dis new ob?" Macklin asked.
"Two hundred dollars, if he never comes back."
"Den pass over der cash."
"I'll pay you after the job is done, Tommy."
"No yer don't. Dis is a cash-in-advance job."
"Can't you trust me?"
"I kin, but I ain't goin' ter."
"It's to your interest as much as ours to have him out of the way."
"Dat's all right, too, but its pay or no job, Hardwick."
"If I pay you now you may make a balk as you did before."
"No, dis will be a sure t'ing, I'll give yer me word."
"Then here you are."
A silence followed.
"Is that right?" asked Hardwick.
"Yes. But, remember, dis ain't part of dat t'ousand I'm ter have fer dat
udder work."
"I understand. Now, go for the coach, and I'll stay till you come back.
It's getting dark, and the street is almost deserted."
"I will. Better lock der door, and don't unlock it again till yer hear
four knocks; see?"
"Yes."
Macklin at once went off, and Hal heard Hardwick lock the door after him
as agreed, but the key was left in the lock.
By the conversation Hal knew it must be later than he had supposed.
Under cover of the darkness Macklin was going to bring a coach to the
place. For what purpose?
In spite of his naturally brave spirit, Hal shivered. He was in the
power of a desperate set of men, and he had learned enough of their
secrets to convict every one of them. They would not hesitate to do
anything to escape their just deserts.
"I must fight for it," he muttered to himself, "and now is the best time
to do it."
He opened the closet door cautiously, and peeped out. Hardwick sat in an
easy-chair, smoking savagely, as if he were out of humor. No one else
was in the place.
The office was heavily carpeted, so Hal made no noise as he stepped out
of the closet. He had to pass within five feet of Hardwick, who sat with
his back half turned to the boy.
Hardly daring to breathe, Hal tiptoed his way past Hardwick and into the
outer office, the door to which stood wide open. Here it was quite dark,
and the boy saw through the window that it was again snowing heavily.
At last the door was reached, and his hand was upon the key, ready to
turn it in the lock.
Suddenly, as if struck by an idea, Hardwick jumped to his feet and came
out. His intention was to examine something on one of the outer desks,
and when he beheld Hal he stared at the youth in blank amazement.
"Where--where--" he began.
Without saying a word, Hal turned the key and caught hold of the latch
of the door. Then, with something that sounded like the growl of a wild
animal, Hardwick pounced upon him.
"No, you don't!" he hissed. "You sha'n't escape this time. Come back
here!"
He caught Hal by the coat collar. The youth struggled, and then struck
out with all force.
The blow landed on Hardwick's chin, and knocked his head back with such
force that for the instant he let slip his grasp and Hal was free.
But before the plucky youth could open the door the man had him fast
again, and was punching him with all his might.
"I'll teach you a lesson!" he cried. "Take that! and that! You are
smart, but you are not smart enough for me!"
"Let go!" cried Hal.
But Hardwick continued to pound him. Then, in sheer desperation, Hal
closed in and fought tooth and nail, as if his very life depended on it.
Hardwick was a heavy-built man, but he was no match for the youth, who
all his life had been used to hard labor, and whose muscles,
consequently, were like steel. He struck Hal many times, but the youth
squirmed and twisted, and suddenly hit him a crack between the eyes that
made him see stars.
"Oh!" he howled, and dropped back, while Hal, taking advantage of this
stroke of good luck, made another dash for the front door.
He opened the door, and was half-way out when Hardwick, realizing what
escape meant, leaped forward and caught him by the coat.
"Let go!" cried Hal, and with a jerk he tore away and started up the
steps leading to the street.
He had scarcely taken half a dozen steps when he ran full tilt into
Macklin, who had just driven up on the box of a closed coach.
"Wot's dis?" cried the tough. "Carson! no yer don't!"
He carried his whip in his hand, and as he spoke he brought the butt
down on Hal's head with full force.
There was a strange flash of fire through Hal's brain, and then all
became a dark blank.