to kick again, loose the dog at him, Cob," cried Uncle
Dick sharply.

Then in an undertone to me:

"No: don't! But let him think you will."

"You'll hev it for this," cried the man furiously.

"Right," said Uncle Jack. "Now, then, have you anything here belonging
to you? No! Down you come then."

He collared his prisoner, who turned to kick at him; but a savage snarl
from Piter, as I half let him go, checked the fellow, and he suffered
himself to be marched to the door, where he stopped.

"Ma beer," he growled, looking back at the stone bottle.

"Beer! No, you've had enough of that," said Uncle Dick. "Go on down."

The man walked quietly down the stairs; but when he found that he was to
be thrust out into the lane he began to struggle again, and shout, but a
fierce hand at his throat stopped that and he was led down to the gate
in the wall, where it became my task now to hold the lantern while
Uncles Dick and Bob grasped our prisoner's arms and left Uncle Jack free
to untie the cord.

"Be ready to unlock the gate, Cob," whispered Uncle Jack, as he held his
prisoner by one twist of the rope round his arms like a leash. "Now,
then, ready! Back, dog, back!"

Piter shrank away, and then at a concerted moment the gate was thrown
open, the three brothers loosed their hold of the prisoner at the same
moment, and just as he was turning to try and re-enter, a sharp thrust
of the foot sent him flying forward, the gate was banged to, and locked,
and we were congratulating ourselves upon having ridded ourselves of an
ugly customer, when the gate shook from the effect of a tremendous blow
that sounded as if it had been dealt with a paving-stone.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

A USEFUL ALLY.

"Take no notice," said Uncle Dick.

We listened, and I laughed as I heard the rattling noise made by a key
as if our friend was trying to get in, after which he seemed to realise
what had been done, and went away grumbling fiercely.

"Now for a quiet look round upstairs," said Uncle Dick; and all being
quiet and we in possession we turned in at the dark door to inspect our
fort.

There was something creepy and yet thoroughly attractive in the
business. The place looked dark and romantic in the gloom; there was a
spice of danger in the work, and the excitement made my blood seem to
dance in my veins.

"Hallo!" I cried, as we were entering the door; "there's something
wrong," for I heard a rustling noise and a dull thud as i