"Oh, nothing, sirs; I request that you belief have."
"Well, there are some mighty strange things going on in this vicinity.
One of our number has mysteriously disappeared-before our eyes, you might say. Don"t you think you could make a pretty good guess as to what has become of him?"
"Don"t me ask, sirs," replied Hoki. "See, I prostrate my bended knees on the carpet you before that you believe me when I say I nothing know."
The j.a.p spoke earnestly, as he fell into a kneeling posture in front of Chot.
"Get up, Hoki," commanded Chot. "There is no need to kneel. We"ll take your word for it."
But it was easily apparent that Hoki knew more than he would tell. He was afraid, no doubt, of Mr. Lawrence. Beg and plead with him as they might during the rest of the evening, he maintained the strictest secrecy. Anything he knew of the lodge-anything of the mysterious happenings of the previous day and night-would remain locked within his breast. Hoki was at least faithful to his master, and the boys admired him for it.
"Well, we won"t ask you anything more, Hoki," said Chot, finally.
"I thanks make, sir."
"But you must stand watch with me till midnight."
"Oh, no, sir; I protest that-"
"Protesting will do no good. If we agree not to question you, you must, in turn, agree to aid us all you can without betraying your master."
The j.a.p said nothing more, but wandered around with a scared look on his face. From the top to the bottom of the house, he went, now pacing restlessly up and down the big hall, now climbing the stairs to the upper floor, then down again and on to the verandah.
"I"m afraid Hoki will bear watching," said Chot, who had been observing his movements.
"I don"t believe he"d attempt any violence," said Tom.
"No; on the contrary, I believe he likes us and would be glad to help us. But something frightens him and makes him hold his tongue. Mr.
Lawrence, for instance, may have sworn him to secrecy on some sacred j.a.panese oath, which Hoki would rather die than break. I have heard of such things."
"If he"d only tell us what he knows of Bert"s disappearance, I wouldn"t ask him a thing about his master," said Fleet.
"No; I"d be willing to take Bert and quit the lodge," said Pod.
"Not I," said Chot "This mystery has aroused my curiosity, and I mean to see the bottom of it before I stir off the island. No matter how strange things may seem, there is a plausible explanation for everything and we"ve got to find it."
"Chot is right," said Truem; "there"s nothing supernatural about this.
Someone is working a mighty clever scheme-that"s all. I, like Chot, want to get at the bottom of it."
"And I," said Tom.
"Oh, you fellows needn"t think Pod and I are going to leave you in the lurch," said Fleet. "We"re in the thing till the finish, even if it"s our finish too."
"We know that," said Chot. "You fellows who are to stand the later watches had better get some sleep. It"s nine-thirty. I"ll corral Hoki and try and cure him of his nervousness. Then I"ll put out the lights and see if I can discover any deep, dark mysteries!"
Pod shuddered slightly at Chot"s words, but Chot laughed.
"Of course you fellows will sleep in the downstairs room, so as to be handy if I want you," he said. "If you hear the sound of a scuffle or a revolver shot, you"ll know there"s something doing."
So the other boys went off to bed, Tom and Pod taking the room occupied the previous night by Chot and Tom, and Truem and Fleet using the one occupied by Bert.
"Here, Hoki," said Chot. "Come out and sit down."
The j.a.p came silently on to the verandah. He did not seem inclined to talk, and Chot decided not to force the conversation. He preferred to be silent, anyway, that his ear might catch any unusual sound either in or out of the lodge.
The evening pa.s.sed without incident until nearly twelve, and Chot arose with a yawn to awaken Tom and Pod, when, as he stepped into the hall, he heard a faint cry coming apparently from the bas.e.m.e.nt. He listened intently. The voice was that of Bert Creighton, and it sounded miles away.
"Chot! Tom! Help!" it said. "I"m caught-I"m caught! Help! Help!"
Chot lost no time in acting; springing quickly to the room occupied by Tom and Pod, he threw open the door and cried out for them to get up.
Then, turning on the lights in the hall, he hurried toward the door leading into the bas.e.m.e.nt, while Hoki, in apparent terror, crouched on the stairway leading above.
CHAPTER XIX-IMPORTANT DISCOVERIES
Tremblingly Chot Duncan paused on the stairs leading into the bas.e.m.e.nt of the lodge, one hand on the electric b.u.t.ton, the other holding a revolver. Bert Creighton"s appealing cry was still ringing in his ears, and he knew not what would be disclosed when the bas.e.m.e.nt was flooded with light.
Then, as he heard Tom and Pod tumbling out of bed behind him, he gave the b.u.t.ton a twist, and a yellow glow quickly banished the darkness.
Chot stood, amazement written on every line of his features, for the bas.e.m.e.nt was empty-there was not a sound to be heard; not a soul to be seen.
Still holding his weapon in readiness for use, Chot advanced cautiously down the stairs.
"What"s the matter?" he heard Tom ask, as he and Pod started into the bas.e.m.e.nt.
Truem and Fleet could be heard slipping on their shoes, and Chot felt decidedly relieved when they, also, came down the bas.e.m.e.nt steps.
A thorough search was made, no one speaking a word for the s.p.a.ce of several moments. Then Chot broke the silence:
"I heard Bert Creighton"s voice calling for help. I"d know it anywhere.
It came from the bas.e.m.e.nt, but sounded at a distance, as if he might be concealed somewhere and unable to get out."
"Then let"s make a more thorough search," said Truem. "There is some secret about Winnsocket Lodge of which we are in ignorance."
"Must be a secret room down here somewhere," said Tom. "I can offer no other solution."
"Well, perhaps you"ll be kind enough to show us where it is," said Fleet.
"It may be worked by a spring in the wall," Tom earnestly replied. "I know that sounds like a fairy tale, but such things exist even to-day in some of the old colonial mansions of Canada, so why shouldn"t a clever man like this Mr. Lawrence adopt the scheme if it served his ends?"
"Well, we"ll make a search, anyway," said Chot.
Then each took a section of the bas.e.m.e.nt wall and the investigation began. They felt carefully over every inch of surface, even taking the fruit jars off the shelves and peering intently behind them. Luckily the lights were so arranged as to be moveable to almost any part of the bas.e.m.e.nt, and shadows were quickly dispelled whenever the boys desired.
"h.e.l.lo, what"s this?" said Chot suddenly.