Charlie nods confidently, and makes a prompt movement toward the door. Then suddenly he stops and points upward with a half terrified air. "Some one's up there," he whispers. "What's that, Charlie?" "Somebody's there. Charlie heard 'em." Van Vernet hesitates a moment, looks first at the prisoner, then at Charlie, and slowly draws forth his dark lantern. "I'll go up and see," he says half reluctantly, and making his pistol ready for use. "Watch the prisoner, Charlie." But Silly Charlie follows Vernet's movements with his eyes until he has passed through the low door leading to the stairway. Then, gliding stealthily to the door, he assures himself that Vernet is already half-way up the stairs. The next moment he is standing beside the prisoner. "Hist, Mr. Warburton!" "Ah! who--," Alan Warburton checks himself suddenly. "Hush!" says this strangest of all simpletons, in a low whisper, at the same moment beginning to work rapidly at the rope which binds Alan's feet. "Be silent and act as I bid you; I intend to help you out of this. There," rising and searching about his person, "the ropes are loosened, you can shake them off in a moment. Now, the darbies." He produces a key which unlocks the handcuffs. "Now, you are free, but remain as you are till I give you the signal,--ah!" The tiny key has slipped through his fingers and fallen to the floor. It is just upon the edge of the scrap of dirty carpet; as he stoops to take it up, it catches in a fringe, and in extricating it the carpet becomes a trifle displaced. Something underneath it strikes the eye of the seeming idiot. He bends closer, and then drags the carpet quite away, seizes the candle, and springs the trap which he has just discovered. Holding the candle above the opening, he looks down, and then, with a low chuckle, spreads the carpet smoothly over it, rises to his feet, and listens. He hears footsteps crossing the rickety floor above. Van Vernet, having failed to find what he sought for aloft, is about to descend. Stepping quickly to Alan's side, Silly Charlie whispers: "Fortune favors us. We have got Vernet trapped." "_Vernet!_" Alan Warburton starts and the perspiration comes out on his forehead. Is this man who is his captor, Van Vernet? Heavens! what a complication, what a misfortune! And this other,--this wisest of all idiots, who calls him by name; who knows the reason for his presence, then, perhaps, knows Leslie herself; who, without any motive apparent, is acting so strange a part, who is _he_? Mentally thanking the inspiration which led him to retain his incognito while negotiating with Van Vernet, Alan's eyes still follow the movements of Silly Charlie. As he gazes, Vernet enters the room, a look of disappointment and disgust upon his face. "Charlie, you were scared at the rats," he says; "there's nothing else there." The trap is directly between him and the prisoner, and as he walks toward it, Silly Charlie fairly laughs with delight. "What are you--"