The Liberty Boys Running the Blockade | Page 9

the best o' me.
You didn't get Hughson, anyhow. How did you know I was with him?"
"I did not, but I knew you and was determined to have you. You can
give me some information concerning the stone house, and later I will
look after the spy."
The man gave a grunt, and by that time they were out upon a side street
leading into Broadway or to the river.
"We will go there now," said Dick. "Some of the Liberty Boys are
waiting for me at the house and we can continue our investigations with
your assistance."
"Huh! you seem to think I am going to tell you all I know about the
place," muttered the man. "S'pose I don't?"
"Then you will get into worse trouble," shortly.
It was dark in the room, so the boys could not see the man who had
challenged them, their matches having burned out: Harry stumbled over
something on the floor and fell headlong, Sam falling on top of him. At
the same instant came a flash and a report, and the boys saw the man
about to make a dash for the door. Will lighted another match, and
Harry and Sam managed to scramble to their feet, but were not quick
enough to intercept the man, who made a sudden spring, dashed Will
aside, and was out into the passage.
"After him!" cried the boys in unison.
But that was a difficult matter, for the passage, like the room, was
cluttered with packages and bundles of various sizes. They could hear
the sound of his footsteps, but could catch no glimpse of him, nor could
they tell which way he had gone, for passages seemed to open on both
sides.
"H'm! I'm afraid we've lost him!" exclaimed Will, as they came to a

standstill in the dark. "I wish we had a better light than these matches
give. It's impossible to chase around here in the dark among all these
boxes and packages, and with passages leading every which way."
"Listen!" exclaimed Harry. "There's some one coming this way."
There was the sound of more than one man coming toward them from
the river side of the house.
"We might better conceal ourselves," whispered Will.
The three boys quickly drew to one side, and feeling a barrel standing
near the wall, one dropped behind it, while another hid behind a box,
and the other concealed himself in an angle of the wall. The sounds did
not proceed from the passage through which the three boys had just
passed, but from one on the right side, and seemed to come from more
than one person and who were trying to proceed quietly, evidently with
the intention of keeping their presence unknown as long as possible.
"They must be somewhere about here," they heard some one whisper.
"We must never let them get away."
Then suddenly a lantern flashed its light over their heads, and they
heard the words:
"Well, they're not here, at any rate."
The steps passed their hiding places, and the boys decided that there
were three men.
"If we could meet them on our own ground, we'd be more than a match
for them," muttered Harry. "But this strange place and in the dark, we'd
be completely at their mercy."
"Yes, and with the other rascal lurking about," answered Sam.
Just then they heard a long, shrill, peculiar whistle. The boys started,
for they did not recognize it. Following almost immediately came the
report of fire arms.

"Come along, boys!" cried Harry. "There's something doing somewhere,
and we must be on the spot!"
They all rushed on blindly in the dark, following the direction whence
the shot proceeded, the way still as dark as Erebus, but seemingly
straight ahead. When Dick and his partner reached the stone house on
the river, the man would have passed the door, but Dick held him back,
saying sharply:
"I know the house. I want to save time by having you show me its
secret passages and explain what nefarious practices are being carried
on in the place."
The man made no reply, but walked up the steps to the front door,
opened it with a key, and then passed into the unlighted hall, into which
the daylight could not penetrate, on account of the solid wooden door
shutting it off from the street, and the doors into the rooms all being
closed. A sudden misgiving seized Dick. Had he been prudent in
coming into this strange house alone with an avowed enemy? It was
true the Liberty Boys were somewhere about, but could they reach him
in time, should danger present itself? He drew out both pistols, and
backed against the wall, while he made the man procure a light. Instead
he gave