The Boy Scout Treasure Hunters | Page 4

he said, locking the inner office when they passed
out. "I am leaving a little early to-night."
Before he left he stepped into a little closet which led out of the
reception room and changed his office clothes. Glen's eyes sparkled.

His problem was solved.
At five o'clock Glen Mason rode down in the elevator to the ground
floor and asked the elevator man how he could identify the inter-urban
car. But instead of leaving the building he dodged back to the stairway
as soon as the elevator had started on its return trip and ran stealthily up
the stairs and again entered the dentist's reception room. It was empty.
Glen boldly entered the little closet and dressing himself in the dentist's
office clothes made a bundle of his uniform. The closet was both deep
and high. He climbed to the top shelf and shoved his bundle far back
over its wide surface against the wall. He dared not risk going out in
the doctor's clothing in daylight. He must stay until the building was
deserted and use the fire escape. His great fear was lest some one
should come to the reception room. The only safeguard was
concealment in the hot, dark closet. He waited hours without any
disturbance. He felt sure that it must be almost midnight. Stealthily he
opened the door of the closet and stepped to a window. It was still
daylight, though the sun was setting. He returned to his closet.
It must have been some hours afterward that he heard footsteps and
voices outside the door. In sudden desperation he climbed up and lay
flat on the wide shelf where he had hidden the uniform. Someone
opened the door of the closet, glanced inside and shut it again.
"I tell you I took him down about five o'clock and showed him his car.
He ain't here," said the voice of the elevator man.
"I have to make sure," replied his companion.
Glen knew the voice for that of one of the school officials. So already
they were seeking him!
After all was quiet Glen ventured to open the closet door and peep out.
It was dark now but there were lights in the hall. After a long time they
were extinguished and the building seemed deserted. The last late
worker departed. The elevator ceased its rhythmic motion.
Glen waited yet longer for a time and then crept down the hall to the

fire-escape, which he made out by a red light. It was a dark night, but,
nerved to the act, he made no hesitation as he swung himself out on to
the iron bars. It was an old-fashioned escape, bars at wide intervals so
close to the wall as to leave hardly a toe hold. Down, down he went,
not daring to look to see where he was going but clinging fast and
letting one step follow another. Then suddenly the ladder stopped. Feel
as he would, in this direction or in that, there were no more steps. He
had known of fire-escapes ending ten or twelve feet from the ground
with an extension which might be lowered. But he found no extension.
He looked down, but it was black night and he could see nothing but
shadowy outlines. Looking up, the ladder soon disappeared in the
darkness. There was no sense in mounting again. He let down his legs
as far as he could reach, with his body balanced on his elbows, then he
let himself hang by his hands and kicked out in the hope of finding
some landing. There was nothing to be felt but the brick wall. His arms
grew tired as he swung. His efforts to draw up again were ineffectual.
In desperation he swung off into space.
Splash! He was choking and gasping in water!
CHAPTER II
A FRIEND AND A FOE
Splashing about in his watery quarters Glen speedily discovered that he
had fallen into an enormous rain barrel. He was able to reach the top
with his hands, and lost no time in drawing himself up and crawling
over the side. Then he stood in the shelter of the barrel and wrung a
gallon or so of water out of the doctor's clothes. When the job was
finished he had pretty well destroyed the identity of that suit of clothing.
The draggled, wrinkled and stained garments bore no resemblance to
the neat office suit. His mishap had given material help in effecting a
disguise.
He struck out away from the town and met no one to interfere with him
as he walked along the quiet residence streets. Just at the edge of the
city he was attracted by a great illumination. It was the electric lighting

of a park, which even at that hour was thronged with visitors.