The man withdrew.  Hal glanced at his watch.

“Ten-five,” he muttered.  “That means ten minutes to ten.  Robard may come sooner than expected.  I must hurry.”

Quietly he arose and silently crossed the room.  He tried the knob to the door of the next room.  The door was locked.  He glanced down.  There was a key in the lock, and it turned easily.  Hal unlocked the door and passed into the room beyond.

Quickly he crossed to the window, and then paused a moment, listening attentively.  There was no sound.  Unfastening the catch, the lad raised the window gently.  It went up without so much as a sound.  Hal poked his head out, and called in a low voice: 

“All right.”

He stepped back and drew his revolver and took his place in the shadow, commanding a view of both doors to the room.

He heard faint sounds without, and concluded rightly that Chester was giving Uncle John a hand up.  A moment later Uncle John’s head appeared at the window, and he clambered into the room.  He was unable to see Hal in the darkness and called: 

“Where are you, Hal?”

“Sh—­h—­h!” whispered Hal.  “Come over here.”

Uncle John obeyed silently.

There came a whistle from without.  Hal recognized it as that of Chester.  He hurried to the window and peered out.

“What’s the matter?” he called.

“The window is too high, I can’t reach the sill,” was the reply.  “Give me a hand.”

Hal started to lay down his gun and lend a hand, but thought better of it.  He called to Uncle John.

“Help Chester up,” he whispered, and again took his position guarding the doors, with drawn revolver.

Uncle John approached the window and leaned out.  He seized Chester’s uplifted hand, and pulled.  A moment later Chester came scrambling through the window.

“A pretty good climb, if you ask me,” he said.

At that moment the door from the hall was thrown open, and a man appeared in the doorway.  In his hand he held a revolver, which he pointed straight at Uncle John and Chester, who stood in plain sight before the window.

“Hands up!” he called.

There was nothing for it but to obey.  Uncle John’s and Chester’s hands went high in the air.

Hal, well back from the light which streamed through the open door and the window, slunk further back in the darkness.  He was unnoticed, and he knew that he held the whip hand.

“So,” said the man in the doorway, “burglars, eh?  Well, I shall attend to your cases.”

With revolver levelled in a steady hand he advanced further into the room.

CHAPTER VII.

Uncle John in trouble.

A few paces in front of Chester and Uncle John the newcomer paused.

“Armed?” he asked.

Chester made no reply.  Uncle John remained silent.