Diamond Dick, Jr.: The Boys' Best Weekly — page 31: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

DIAM to the library for a consultation when [ return. I shall not be leng.”? Thus they parted, one turning in the direction of the mansion while the other entered the boathouse, where he soon had the building flooded with light. Fortune favored the trio without, for they happened to be in the shadow cast by a space between two windows, and thus were not likely to be seen unless some one came near. They cculd look into the boathouse, through the windows, and they saw this man pass isto the rear room. Here he advanced to the rear wall and touched a button. At once a sliding panel went up, re- vealing an opening in the wall, and the nian passed in, He did not close the panel, but left it open, and in a moment light shone in the passage and made a ribbon out into the lake as well. Meanwhile, the hours had been drag- ging for Bertie and the prisoner in the other chamber. Had he been entirely alone Bertie would have risked trying to escape, but thought of the helpless: young woman deterred lim. He might only damage the place so that her room would fill with water and drown her, without his being able to do anything for her, and that, he decided, was too great a risk. They communicated with each other occasionally, by means of writing. There were some empty bottles in Bertie’s part of the under-water house, and lie made use of them as we have seen, passing them out through the fishing window. And at last came the startling incident we have recorded—the appearance of a black water sprite—so to call it—just outside the wall of his chamber, and what followed. ‘*Well, I wonder where they picked up that piece of guim-elastic stove-polish ?” Bertie remarked to himself, when the Ace 0’ Spades had disappeared after lis second visit. ‘‘No matter, thongh, he is a good one, to perfarm a feat like that.” Assured now that his friends knew whiere he was, he settled down to wait for what would happen next. MBHICK, JR. OUT OF SIGHT. » 29 And at length came a visit from the mad millionaire. ‘“Well, you are still here, I see,’’ his voice hailed Bertie from the other cham- ber, evidently by means of pipes. “Thought I would drop in and take one more look at you before retiring."’ ‘Ves, still here,’’ Bertie cheerfully an- swered. ‘‘But I don’t expect to stay here a great while, I give you fair warning. If you want to make sure of me, you better turn on the water and wind uz the business. If you don’t, you’ll hear from me before morning.”? ‘Bah! You are blowing. I wanted to tell you to make good use of the light while it is ou. It will be cut off at 10 o’clock.”? ‘Won't you leave it on for that young lady’s sake ?”? “Oh, 10; we intend giving her a night of horror.’’ ‘“Take care that you don’t have one yourself!’ “Tittle fear of that, mv fine fellow!” Thev talked for a few minutes, the inad millionaire exultant, Bertie defiant, and at last Humphryes went away. As soon as he had gone the beautiful girl in the neighboring chamber wrote hurriedly on a sheet of paper and held it up against the wall of her room for Bertie to read. . T shall die if they turn lights!? it was worded. ‘‘Can’t you get to ine, somehow? Iam not closed in by water, as I heard him sav you are, and if you can only break into the passages I ain sure you can reach me. Come, or IJ shall go wild!” ‘By Heavens! I asust try it!’ Bertie said to himself. ‘“‘It is a risk to run, but I?ll take the chances. The water in that vestibule won’t make more than two inches depth on the floor of this room, and perhaps we can get safely out before it fills the passages. If she will take the risk with me, I°l] try it!’ And then he asked her. She was willing, even anxious; any- thine, so that he might be near hep, for she felt that he was her true friend. So, Bertie prepared to break through into the vestibule, having given the matter considerable of study during the conniclooolkks out the CO