CHAPTER XI
THE STRANGE HERMIT
"Come on, fellows, this way!"
"No, over this way!"
"I tell you the door's here!"
Thus cried Bob, Sammy and Frank as they stumbled about in the mysterious smoke-filled room. They banged into the bed, tripped over chairs, and slammed into the table.
"Look out, don't go near those things again!" warned Sammy.
"We won't—if we know it!" panted Frank. "Where is that door?"
"Maybe—maybe the explosion slid it shut!" cried Bob.
This thought caused terror in the hearts of the boys until Sammy with a joyful cry, shouted:
"It's all right! Here's the door still open! Come on!"
Out they rushed, following Sammy's lead, for the smoke had now cleared away enough for them to see in the dim room.
They never paused to take away the piece of broken shutter that held open the secret sliding door, or panel in the wall. They had no desire, now, to leave things as they had found them, in hopes that the mysterious person, or persons, who used the strange room, would come back, unsuspecting, and be caught. All the boys cared about now was to get away.
Down the attic stairs they rushed, and they never paused until they were safely out of the old house. Then, some distance off, the fright left them, and they halted to look back.
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