When it began to grow dark one of the men who had brought them to the place came in with some food and a bottle of wine, and said, as he put it on a chest: 

“There’s something for you to eat.  Other boy asleep, h’m?  Well, there is all the more for you then.”

Then the man went away, never noticing the little bit of deception which the boys had practised, locking the door after him.

“The things to eat are all right,” said Jack, after the man had gone, “but we would better not touch the wine.  I never do, anyhow.  This is likely to be drugged to make us sleep, so that we will give no trouble.”

“I don’t want it anyhow,” said Dick.

The boys ate a supper, and then, as it grew dark, sat and waited for some sign of their friends, and at last when it was quite dark hearing a peculiar whistle somewhere outside.

“That’s the Hilltop signal!” whispered Percival “Aid is at hand!”

CHAPTER XVI

BEN’S STRANGE STORY

Jack jumped upon the chest, which he quickly dragged to the little window, and answered the signal, one generally used by the Hilltop boys when they wished to communicate with each other at a distance.

In a moment it was answered, and then young Smith ran up under the window, and said eagerly: 

“You are all right, boys, you are there still, and safe!”

“Yes,” answered Jack.  “Who is there?”

“Some of the boys, Ben Bowline, the captain and Buck, all ready for a fight if necessary.”

“All right.  I don’t think you will need to make one.”

Percival was at the door now, and in a moment he heard the outer one fall in with a crash, and then came the rush of many feet.

There were shouts outside, but these were drowned by the yells of the boys, and of the old sailor.

“Are yo’ dere, sah?” the boys heard Bucephalus say in a few moments, just outside the door.

“Yes, but we are locked in.”

“Nevah min’ dat, jus’ lemme get mah head at it an’ Ah’ll break it down in a hurry, sah.”

“Here, stop that!” roared Ben Bowline.  “You’ll crack yer skull!”

“No, sah, Ah’s used to dem things!” guffawed Bucephalus.

“Don’t you know that his name means ‘ox-headed,’ Ben?” cried Percival with a laugh.  “Why, he could split a two-inch plank with that head of his.  Let him do it, but first wait till I get out of the way.”

It was not necessary for Bucephalus to butt the door down, however, as one of the men with Rollins had been captured, and was forced to open the door with his key.

It was the same man who had brought them food and wine, and at the sight of the boys, for lights had been brought, he exclaimed: 

“Guess you boys didn’t drink anything?”

“No, we did not,” said Percival.  “Won’t you have it your self?”

“Huh!  I think not.  But where’s the little fellow?  The one that was asleep when I come in.”