Page:The Strand Magazine (Volume 6).djvu/43

and the third the room in which we were seated on the evening of my story.

I lighted a candle, and we made our way downstairs to the cellar. After some little search, came upon a bin we which I found to contain the last survivors of the famous Madeira. I took out a bottle, and was just closing the cellar door, when a strange sound struck my ear. First came two or three strokes, as of a hammer, but dull, as if the striking implement was muffled in some way; then the "scrunch" of a chisel; and finally a dropping sound, as of falling mortar. With a warning glance at Macpherson, I opened the door of the strong room adjoining, and silently stepped inside. The sounds were here more distinctly audible; and we could fix with tolerable certainty the spot from which they proceeded, which was the lower part of the left-hand wall.

"I took out a bottle."

Closing the door, I led the way up the spiral stairs into my private office. "What do you make of that, Mac?" I said, as I placed the bottle on the table.

"Judging by the sound, I should say someone was chipping a hole through the wall, presumably to rob the bank," replied Macpherson.

"That is precisely my own impression. What a stroke of luck that you should have chanced to ask for that bottle of Madeira. Well, forewarned is forearmed; we shall be ready for them. I'll just go and get my revolver, and then I'll mount guard, while you go and fetch the police."

Macpherson looked at me thoughtfully.

"Excuse me, old man, but wouldn't that be little bit premature? In the first place, it is just possible that the sound we have heard is capable of some innocent interpretation, and we may get laughed at for raising a false alarm. In the second place, if our underground friend is a burglar, wouldn't it be as well to let him make the case a little clearer against himself? I don't know what thickness of wall he has to tackle, but judging by the look of the material, and the very small quantity of stuff that seems to fall after each blow, I should fancy he had still a longish job before him."

"That's true enough. That wall is eighteen inches thick, and of the toughest concrete made. Of course, we don't know how long the gentleman on the other side has been pegging away at it; but judging from the sound, he has a good deal to do yet."

"Then we need not decide anything in a hurry. Pull that cork, Geoff, and we'll see if we can't devise some sort of trap for him. There's nothing like a glass of good wine to help the imagination."

I drew the cork, and fetched a glass from the cupboard. "Help yourself, Dick, but you must excuse my joining you. Nothing stronger than water will pass my lips till this matter is over."

"Every man to his taste," replied Dick, holding the wine critically between himself and the light, then sipping it with reverential gusto. "I work best on this sort of thing. Now, to return to the business in hand. I would much rather capture this gentleman, if we can, without calling in the police till we are ready to hand him over to them."

"So would I, if I were under no personal responsibility. But suppose our plans failed