ock it,
and take the key away. Let me see if it turns easy."

Very gently he turned the key, and found the bolt shot noiselessly.
It had doubtless been carefully oiled. He turned it again, shut the
door, locked it, and put the key in his pocket.

Then they crept on tiptoe along the passage. At the end were two
large chests, strengthened with iron bands. A lighted lantern stood
upon them. Bob peered round the corner into the hall. No one was to
be seen, but he heard a noise through an open door, from which came
a stream of light.

Motioning the others to stand still, he crept forward noiselessly
till he could look into the room. A man was occupied in packing
some articles of massive plate, clocks, and other valuables into a
sack. He was alone.

Bob made his way back to the others.

"There's only one fellow there," he said. "If there are any more,
they are upstairs. Let us have this one first--his back is to the
door.

"Now, Wharton, you hold our handkerchiefs and the string. If he
don't look round, I will jump on his back and have him down.

"The moment he is down, you two throw yourselves on him, and you
shove the handkerchiefs into his mouth, Wharton. In the surprise,
he won't know that we are only boys; and we will tie his hands
before he has time to resist.

"Now, come on."

They were all plucky boys--for Wharton, although less morally
courageous than the others, was no coward, physically. Their
stockinged feet made no sound, and the man heard nothing until Bob
sprang on to his back, the force sending him down on to his face.
Bob's arm was tightly round his throat; and the other two threw
themselves upon him, each seizing an arm, while Wharton crammed two
handkerchiefs into his mouth. The man's hands were dragged behind
his back, as he lay on his face, and his wrists tied firmly
together. He was rendered utterly helpless before he had recovered
from the first shock of surprise.

"Tie his ankles together with the other two handkerchiefs," Bob
said, still lying across him.

"That is right. You are sure they are tight? There, he will do,
now. I must lock him in."

This was done.

"Now, then, let's go upstairs.

"Now, fasten this last piece of string across between the
banisters, six or eight steps up.

"Make haste," he added, as a faint cry was heard, above.

It did not take a second to fasten the string at each end; and
then, grasping their sticks, the boys sprang upstairs. On gaining
the landi