The first point of destination of the police squad, was to the door out
of which Will had made his escape, and he led the men directly to it. It
was unlocked, as he had left it, but four men were left there, and the
others followed the boy around to another street, where was the number
at which he had entered the den.
"I've made no mistake in this number, but yet it don't look like the
place," he said as he stopped before the door.
"I hope you have made no mistake, my lad," anxiously said Captain Daly.
"I know I have not, sir; but then I can't find the bell."
In vain he searched, there was no bell at the side, but instead a large
old-fashioned knocker.
"This is a white door, sir, as you see, and the other was painted
brown."
"Then you are certainly mistaken, my lad."
"No, sir, I am not mistaken, for this is the number, but--"
"But what?" asked Captain Daly, as Will paused.
"They have taken out the bell from the side, sir, and _changed the door,
since I left_."
Several of the policemen laughed, but Captain Daly did not, and said:
"If you say so, Will, I'll believe you.
"Your dark lantern here, Gibson."
The man addressed handed over his lantern, and Will ran the light up and
down the door-post.
"Here's where the bell-knob was, sir, and it's been plugged up as you
see, by something that fits in."
"You are right, Will," and the captain gave the knocker three sharp
blows.
But no response came, and Will said: "They'll not answer, sir, for
they've changed this door to fool me, and they know I've escaped from
that man I locked in his room."
"All right, we'll open the door ourselves.
"In with it, men!"
Half a dozen policemen threw themselves against the door; but it
withstood their weight, and the locks within only yielded after repeated
trials. Then the door flew open, and all entered the hallway, closing it
behind them.
The next door then confronted them, but Will pointed out the panel, and
a club smashed that in, when Captain Daly put in his hand and drew back
the bolt.
"This is a secure nest, that is certain; but I fear we'll find it
deserted," said Captain Daly, and with their lantern-shades raised, they
hastily followed Will up the stairs.
He went directly to the door by which he had entered, and the panel was
opened with a club, and the officers dashed in, and throwing themselves
against the inner door it yielded to their weight with a crash.
Then they found themselves in the large living room of the band, from
whence Will had made his escape.
The bunks were there, the table, chairs, dumb-waiter, and much clothing
and bedding was scattered about, showing a hasty departure; but not a
soul was present.
"Will you follow down the chimney, sir?" asked Will.
"Yes, I will follow with several of my men, while the remainder break in
every door of this nest, which is, indeed, a safe retreat.
"Come, men, I want only those who have cool heads on lofty places to go,
for, from what he told me, it will require all your nerve to follow
him."
Four of the officers volunteered, and up the ladder went Will, he having
in the meantime recovered his hat, shoes and jacket from the floor.
Out upon the roof, in the drenching rain, the boy stepped, and made his
way fearlessly along the dizzy hight, followed by Captain Daly and his
men, who stepped with the greatest caution, for they realised their
deadly peril at a glance.
Fearlessly the brave boy led the police captain and his men, the chief
calling out: "Go slow, Will, for a false step here will send us to
perdition!"
Reaching the chimney, Will sprang upon the top and disappeared in the
interior, the others following, and descending the iron ladder in
silence.
Down to the fire-place went Will, and the instant after Captain Daly
joined him, and handing the boy his dark-lantern to spring open, the two
hastily sprang out into the room.
It was deserted, but the door was partly open, for the lock had been
wrenched off.
The pictures were on the wall, the bed all rumpled up, and the lamp was
upon the table, while there was every indication of a hasty departure,
as in the assembly room.
Then the police went on a voyage of discovery through the house.
It was an old-time mansion, two stories, narrow in build, and ran back
against the one on the other street, to which the false chimney
belonged, and in it were some half-score of poor, but reputable lodgers,
who, aroused by the police, were amazed at the raid upon them.
In answer to inquiries, they said that the room on the rear, through
which the officers had come, was occupied by an artist, they had heard,
though no one seemed to know much about him except that he had a number
of visitors.
That there was a secret connected with his living there they had not
suspected.
Confident that the lodgers of the house told the truth, Captain Daly
left two of his men on duty there, and started around the block to the
other house.
He found the party still on guard at the door, and they had not seen or
heard anything of a suspicious nature.
Going around to the other house Captain Daly found that his men had
thoroughly searched the place from the cellar to the attic.
They had discovered the door which Will had remembered to have seen in
front, and as it was still dripping wet it showed that it had been
removed that night from its place, to throw the boy off his guard, but
it had, however, failed to do so.
In different rooms of the house was found a quantity of stolen booty,
the loss of some of which Captain Daly and his men had heard of, and
there was every indication that it was a nest of burglars of a daring
and desperate nature.
The Land Sharks had long been known to the police for their bold acts of
crime, yet they never before could be located, and even the gruffest of
the policemen praised Will for what he had done.
Dawn was now breaking, and a neighbour, coming out of his house, was
asked who owned the premises.
He said that his landlord did so, and giving the address, the proprietor
of the two houses was at once looked up; but he was amazed at what he
heard, for he let the property to an old woman who said she wished to
keep boarders, and had regularly paid her rent three months in advance,
and had built a new chimney and made other improvements which she had
paid for herself.
The landlord was greatly amazed to find what those improvements were,
but he could give no clue as to who or what his tenant was, or where she
could be found.
Having discovered the secret retreat of the Land Sharks, however, was a
cause of congratulation, and the booty found was considerable, so that
Will was praised for his good services, and at once told that he was to
consider himself a member of the Secret Service and to report the
following day after he had become rested, for the night of peril and
hardship the good-hearted police-captain could see had told on the brave
boy.
With a heart bounding with joy, Will had hastened home, and his mother
and sister greeted him warmly, for they were most anxious regarding his
long absence, and with wonder they listened to the strange story of his
adventures, while Pearl cried in glee: "Hurrah for the Boy Detective!"