nely house, and disappeared around a corner of the building.

"Say, Jack, this doesn't look right to me at all," announced Fred. "I
wish I had a pistol."

"I'm going to arm myself with a club," said Randy, and looked around for
such a weapon.

The others did the same, two of them picking up sticks and the others
arming themselves with stones. Then they advanced with caution, keeping
their eyes wide open for the appearance of anything that might look
dangerous.

"I don't see any light around the place," announced Jack, as they drew
closer.

"I wonder what became of Nappy and Slugger?" broke in Fred. "I don't see
them anywhere."

"Suppose we call them," suggested Andy.

"Let us walk around the house first," returned his twin. "They may have
gone in by the back way. Most of the folks living around here use the
back door for everything."

With added caution the Rover boys walked slowly around one side of the
building. In the rear they found everything as dark and deserted as in
the front.

"This is certainly strange," announced Jack. He advanced and knocked
sharply on the closed door.

There was no reply, and he knocked a second time. Then Randy beat upon
the door with his stick.

"It looks to me as if there wasn't a soul in the place," announced Andy.
"I wonder what has become of Nappy and Slugger?"

"See here, will you?" cried Fred suddenly. "It looks to me as if nobody
lived here. Every one of the windows is boarded up on the inside. I
believe this house is being used for nothing but a storehouse. I don't
believe a soul lives here."

"Hello, Nappy! Hello, Slugger!" called out Jack loudly. "Where are you?"

To this call there was no reply.

CHAPTER XXIV

DICK ROVER'S REVELATION

"We've been tricked!" exclaimed Randy.

"Just what I think!" burst out Fred. "They didn't bring us here to see
Gabe Werner at all!"

"There isn't a soul around the building, that's certain," remarked Andy.
"What do you suppose has become of Nappy and Slugger?"

The Rovers looked around in the fast-gathering darkness, but could see
no one. Then they walked around the building several times, peering in
all directions for a sight of the fellows who had brought them on this
strange mission.

"It's a storehouse, right enough," announced Jack. "And my opinion is
that everything is nailed up except the front door, and that, as you can
see, has a padlock on it."

It was certainly a mystery, and for the time being the