at the man had
spoken the truth about the noises near the tenement. There sounded the
whirr of dynamos, the puffing of steam, the rattle of coal and ashes
down chutes--in short it would have taken a loud voice to make itself
heard above the racket. A better place to keep a prisoner, in the
midst of a great city, could not have been devised.

Nevertheless Roy did not give up hope. He resolved to attempt nothing
that night. He wanted daylight to work by, and he felt that Wakely
could not be with him all the while.

"But if I stay here more than a day or so there's going to be trouble,"
thought the boy. "Dad will write or telegraph me, in answer to my
letter telling about Annister's game, and, if I can't answer him, he'll
get worried. I wish I could understand what this is all about. Maybe
they take me for another person. Well, I can't do anything now. I
must try to sleep. That stuff he gave me makes my head ache. This
shows how foolish I was to trust too much to strangers. When he got me
to look around at that handkerchief he must have put something into my
soda."

Thus musing, Roy fell into a doze. From that he passed into a heavy
sleep, and Wakely, peering in the door a little later, noted with
satisfaction that his prisoner was deep in slumber.

"That's good," he whispered. "I can get some rest myself now. It's no
joke--being on guard all the while. Some of the others of the gang
have got to help out. I must send word to Baker. He's got to take his
share."

Roy felt better the next morning, and ate with relish the breakfast
Wakely brought in, though the meal was not a very good one.

A little while after this his captor went out, and Roy resolved to
attempt to loosen his bonds. It was a hard task, for he could not work
to advantage, but to his delight he found he could gradually undo some
of the knots.

But he did not cast off the ropes. That was not his plan. As long as
he knew he could loosen them at will, he decided to remain as though
bound. This would make Wakely think he was in no position to escape,
and the man would not keep such close watch.

Soon after this voices were heard in the outer room, and Roy knew some
one was with his guard. They did not come into the apartment, and the
boy saw nothing of any one until, at noon, more food was brought to
him. He deemed it inadvisable to attempt to escape now, and resolved
to wait another day.

Night came, supper was brought, and ag