s where _we'd_ better be getting," broke in Simmonds, who had
taken out his watch and held it up to the light. "It's nearly twelve
o'clock, and I don't want to miss the fireworks. Besides, you fellows
don't gain anything by all this jawing. You've been at it for an hour,
and you're more tangled up now than when you started. My motto with a
case of this kind is just to sit quiet and watch it; and pretty soon
the rat thinks the coast is clear, and pokes out his head, and you nab
him."

"There's a good deal in that," agreed Godfrey, with a little laugh. "I
admit that our arguing doesn't seem to lead anywhere. Come along," and
he led the way out among the trees.

"Now take these fireworks," went on Simmonds, in a low tone, when we
were sitting side by side on the limb. "I don't understand what they
mean; but they must mean something. Am I laying awake nights worrying
about them? Not me! I'm just going to keep on watching till I find out
what the meaning is. I know you're a great fellow for theory and
deduction, and all that sort of thing, Godfrey, and I know you've
pulled off some mighty clever stunts; but, after all, there's nothing
like patience."

"Yes--'it's dogged as does it,'" agreed Godfrey. "Patience is a great
thing. I only wish I had more of it."

"It would be a good thing," assented Simmonds, candidly; and then we
fell silent, gazing out into the darkness.

"Surely," said Godfrey, at last, "it must be twelve o'clock."

Simmonds got out his watch and flashed upon it a ray from his electric
torch.

"Yes," he said, "it's four minutes after."

I felt Godfrey's hand stiffen on my arm.

"Then there's something wrong," he whispered. "You remember, Lester,
what happened the other time that light failed to appear. A man was
murdered!"

The darkness into which I stared seemed suddenly to grow threatening
and sinister, full of vague terrors. Even Simmonds grew uneasy, and I
could feel his arm twitching.

Godfrey put his foot on the ladder, and began to descend. Simmonds and
I followed him silently.

"I'm going over the wall," he said, when we were on the ground.
"Something's wrong, and we've got to find out what it is."

"How will we get down?" asked Simmonds. "There's no ladder there."

Godfrey considered a moment.

"We can stand on the top of the wall," he said, at last, "and lift
this ladder over. It won't be easy, but it can be done. Go ahead,
Lester, and be careful of the glass."

I mounted the la