Crown and Sceptre | Page 6

would have made it
upright like a door."
"If they could," said Fred, thoughtfully. "Perhaps it was meant for
people to go through lying down."
"Well, wait a bit," said Scarlett, "and we'll see."
Unkind people say that girls have the bump of curiosity greatly
developed, far more so than boys. This is a vulgar error, for the latter
are quite as eager to know as their sisters, and from the moment that the
heavy oak board was replaced, Fred Forrester and Scar Markham
suffered from a fit of excitement which they could not allay. For, as is
usually the case, the person they wanted to go seemed determined to
stay. That person was the maid, who appeared to have found something
very important to do in the room at the end of the corridor; and it was
impossible to continue the examination till she had returned to the
servants' quarters.
Scar fetched a candlestick with a short piece of candle burning therein,

and shut it up in one of the great cupboards in the hall, so as to lose no
time.
Then they fidgeted up and down, listening intently the while; examined
some of the well-oiled, warlike weapons on the walls; crept upstairs
and along the corridor to listen at the bedroom door; ran down again,
and waited until the suspense seemed unbearable.
"I believe she has gone to bed and fallen asleep," whispered Fred.
"Nonsense! She dare not in that best room."
"Let's go out in the garden, then, and leave it till another day."
"And when will that be? Why, everybody will be about then. No; we
must examine the place to-day."
"What's that?" cried Fred, suddenly. "What's what?"
"I can smell fire."
"Well, they're cooking in the kitchen, I suppose."
"No, no; it's wood burning. Oh, Scar, look there!"
As Fred pointed toward the great closet in one corner of the hall, the
lads could see a thin blue film of vapour stealing out through the crack
at the top; and their first inclination was to run away and shout "Fire!"
But second thoughts are best.
"Come on," cried Scar; and he ran to the closet door, swung it open,
and the reason for the smoke was plain enough to see. The candle
which they had hidden there till the maid came down had been badly
fastened in the socket; had fallen over sidewise, probably when the
door was closed, and was now leaning up against the oak wainscot,
guttering down rapidly, and burning a long, channel-like hole in the
woodwork, which was pouring forth smoke, and would in a few
minutes have become serious.

As it was, a little presence of mind was sufficient to avert the danger.
The candle was removed, and a handkerchief pressed against the
smouldering wainscot stifled the tiny fire, while the windows being
open, the pale blue smoke soon evaporated, and the candle was left
securely now as the lads re-entered the hall and carefully closed the
door once more.
"We should have looked nice if the old hall had been burned down,"
said Fred.
"Oh, nonsense!" was the reply. "The place is too strong and full of oak
and stone. The hall couldn't be burned. Here, it's of no use waiting any
longer; she will not come down. Let's go out in the garden."
Fred glanced at the stairs, and followed his companion unwillingly; but
no sooner were they outside than Scar called his companion's attention
to the bedroom window, where the maid in question was leaning out,
watching Nat Lee, as he slowly did his work.
The girl caught sight of the two lads, drew back, and as they waited in
the great porch they had the satisfaction of hearing her go back, along
the corridor, closing the door at the end.
"Now, Fred," said Scarlett, excitedly, "we're safe at last." He dashed up
the stairs and slipped the bolt of the door through which the maid had
just passed, and returned to the top of the stairs. "Come along," he
whispered. "Don't stand there. Bring the light."
Fred ran to the great closet and obtained the burning candle. The
baluster was twisted; there was the familiar crick-crack; the loose step
was thrust back, and the boys stood looking into the long box-like
opening.
"Wouldn't it be safer to fasten the front door too?" said Fred in a
whisper.
"Yes, and be quick," replied his companion in the same low, excited
manner.

Fred ran down, closed the great oaken door, ran a ponderous bolt into
its receptacle, and again joined his companion.
"Now then," whispered Scarlett, "what shall we do?"
As he spoke he knelt down and thrust the candle in as far as he could
reach, disclosing the fact that this was no rough back to the staircase,
but a