hey noticed that the
voices became more free and unrestrained.

"They'll be back again," said Frank.

"Let's wake the others," said Bob.

Upon this suggestion they both proceeded at once to act, waking
them carefully, and cautioning them against making any noise. The
cautions against noise were so earnest, that not a word was spoken
above a whisper; but Clive and David, and finally Uncle Moses,
stepped out upon the floor, and the whole party proceeded to put
their heads together.

"I've got a chair," said Clive.

"I've got a knife," said Frank.

"I've got a chair," said Bob.

"I've got a knife," said David.

"An I've got my razor, which I shoved under my pillow," said Uncle
Moses; "an so let em come on. But where are they now?"

"H-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-h!" Said Frank.

All were silent, and listened. There came out from without the
sound of footsteps approaching the house, and of low voices.

"They're coming back again," said Bob.

The rest listened.

Frank stole to the window and looked cautiously out.

By the moonlight he saw plainly the figures of four men. They were
coming from the road to the house, and they were carrying a ladder.
The ladder was very long. The sight sent a shudder through him. He
had thought of the windows as being out of the reach of danger;
the idea of a ladder had never entered his head at all. Yet he now
saw that this-was one of the most simple and natural plans which
could be adopted by the brigands.

He came back and told the others. All felt the same dismay which
Frank had felt. None of them said a word, but they all stole up to
the window, and looking out they saw for themselves.

The brigands approached the house, carrying the ladder; and on
reaching it, they put their load on the ground, and rested for a
short time. As they did so, the boys noticed that they all looked
up at the upper windows of the house.

Then they saw the brigands gathering close together, and the murmur
of their conversation came up to their ears.

It was a thrilling sight. The boys stood in dread suspense. No one
said a word, not even a whisper.

The conversation among the brigands was followed by a movement on
their part which brought things nearer to a climax. They raised
the ladder once more, and moving it a little farther away, they
proceeded to put it up against the house. The ladder was put up
at the south end of the house, and as it was being carried there
for the purp