'll do. We'll get the
girl first, and then we'll see what's to be done. First door at the head
of the stairs. Quiet, quiet; there's a dog in the next room.'

Stealing up the stairs, they opened the door, and the full light of the
lamp fell in the child's room. They could hear her low, regular breathing
as she slept. Craig handed the light to his companion.

'I'll take her,' whispered he. 'Bring the light so that I can see. There,
that will do.' He bent over her. As he did so, he accidentally stirred the
bed-clothes, and the child opened her eyes; and before he could prevent
it, a single wild cry escaped her as she caught sight of the wild faces
which were bending over her.

'Christ! how she yelps!' exclaimed Craig, in a fierce whisper. He clapped
his hand over her mouth. 'By G-d! there goes the dog too! we must be off.
My chicken,' said he, in a low tone, 'if you understand plain English, you
know what I mean when I say if you whisper loud enough to wake a cat,
you'll get a bullet through your head. Hist! Bill, was that a door
creaking? I can't hear for the d----d dog!' Both stopped and listened.

'It was only the door below,' said Jones. 'Quick! quick!'

Craig caught the child out of bed, wrapped a blanket about her to stifle
her cries, in case she should make any, and moved to the door.

'Turn the light on the door; I can't see. There, that will do. Now then,
it's open, and the game's ours.'

'_Not quite_!' said a stern voice; and the next instant Craig received a
blow from a fist which sent him reeling back into the room.

'Watch! watch! murder! thieves!' bellowed Harson from without, while from
the din, at least forty pug-dogs seemed to be barking in all parts of the
entry.

'Shoot him! shoot him down!' shouted Craig, springing to the door. 'By
G-d! the door's shut, and he's holding it from the outside!' exclaimed he,
pulling it with all his force. 'He's as strong as a bull. Quick! shoot
through the panel! He must stand behind the knob. Fire!'

Instead of obeying him, Bill Jones seized the child. 'Hark ye, old
fellow,' said he; 'shut up, or I'll dash this girl's brains out. If I
don't, d--n me!'

This appeal was heard, and operated upon Harson; but in a different manner
from what they expected, for he relaxed his hold of the door so suddenly,
that Craig fell backward, and bursting into the room, with a single blow
prostrated the burglar, who was bending over the child, and dashed the
light to the ground.