Held Fast For England | Page 7

That must be the drawing room, or
dining room, and they would never have lights there at this time of
night.
"Now, let us find out where they got in. This is something like fun. It
beats rabbit hunting all to nothing.
"Now mind, you fellows, if we do come upon them, and there is a fight,
you remember the best place to hit, to begin with, is the ankle. You
have only just got to fancy that it is a bung, and swipe at it with all your
might. Anyone you hit there is sure to go down and, if he wants it, you
can hit him over the head, afterwards.
"Now, come along. I expect they got in at the back of the house."
They soon came upon a door at the side of the house. It was open.
"That looks as if they had been let in," Bob whispered. "See, there is a
light in there, somewhere! Come on.
"Now, let us take our shoes off."
The others were thoroughly excited now, and followed Bob without

hesitation.
"Bob, is the key in the door?" Jim whispered.
"Yes, on the inside. They have been let in. I wish I dare lock it, and
take the key away. Let me see if it turns easy."
Very gently he turned the key, and found the bolt shot noiselessly. It
had doubtless been carefully oiled. He turned it again, shut the door,
locked it, and put the key in his pocket.
Then they crept on tiptoe along the passage. At the end were two large
chests, strengthened with iron bands. A lighted lantern stood upon them.
Bob peered round the corner into the hall. No one was to be seen, but
he heard a noise through an open door, from which came a stream of
light.
Motioning the others to stand still, he crept forward noiselessly till he
could look into the room. A man was occupied in packing some articles
of massive plate, clocks, and other valuables into a sack. He was alone.
Bob made his way back to the others.
"There's only one fellow there," he said. "If there are any more, they are
upstairs. Let us have this one first--his back is to the door.
"Now, Wharton, you hold our handkerchiefs and the string. If he don't
look round, I will jump on his back and have him down.
"The moment he is down, you two throw yourselves on him, and you
shove the handkerchiefs into his mouth, Wharton. In the surprise, he
won't know that we are only boys; and we will tie his hands before he
has time to resist.
"Now, come on."
They were all plucky boys--for Wharton, although less morally
courageous than the others, was no coward, physically. Their
stockinged feet made no sound, and the man heard nothing until Bob

sprang on to his back, the force sending him down on to his face. Bob's
arm was tightly round his throat; and the other two threw themselves
upon him, each seizing an arm, while Wharton crammed two
handkerchiefs into his mouth. The man's hands were dragged behind
his back, as he lay on his face, and his wrists tied firmly together. He
was rendered utterly helpless before he had recovered from the first
shock of surprise.
"Tie his ankles together with the other two handkerchiefs," Bob said,
still lying across him.
"That is right. You are sure they are tight? There, he will do, now. I
must lock him in."
This was done.
"Now, then, let's go upstairs.
"Now, fasten this last piece of string across between the banisters, six
or eight steps up.
"Make haste," he added, as a faint cry was heard, above.
It did not take a second to fasten the string at each end; and then,
grasping their sticks, the boys sprang upstairs. On gaining the landing,
they heard voices proceeding from a room along a corridor and, as they
crept up to it, they heard a man's voice say, angrily:
"Now we ain't going to waste any more time. If you don't tell us where
your money is, we will knock you and the girl on the head.
"No, you can't talk, but you can point out where it is. We know that you
have got it.
"Very well, Bill, hit that young woman over the head with the butt of
your pistol. Don't be afraid of hurting her.
"Ah! I thought you would change your mind. So it is under the bed.

"Look under, Dick. What is there?"
"A square box," another voice said.
"Well, haul it out."
"Come on," Bob Repton whispered to the others; "the moment we are
in, shout."
Illustration: Bob and his Companions surprise the Burglars.
He stood for a moment in the doorway. A man