Larry felt his heart beating fast at the thought that perhaps Mr. Newton, all unconscious of danger, might be caught by the men. How he longed for a chance to warn the reporter! “It’s going to be a ticklish job,” rejoined the tall man. “Can’t help it,” went on the leader. “We’ll do the best we can. This place is far enough away. You two men will have to stay on guard. Give him all he wants to eat, but if he tries to escape--well, you know what to do.” “I guess so,” muttered the short man, with an ugly look at Larry. The three men left the room then, but Larry could hear them talking in low tones in the hall. He stole to a window, hoping there might be a chance to get away. He found it tightly shut. Besides the casement was five stories from the ground, and to leap that distance would have meant death. By pressing his face closely against the window pane Larry could see that, about three windows over, on a line with the one he was looking from, was a fire escape. If he could only reach that, he thought, he could get away. But to reach it seemed out of the question. As he stood looking the two men who had captured him re-entered the room. “What were you doing?” the tall one asked him. “Looking out of the window,” replied Larry boldly. “Be careful you don’t try to get out,” was the rejoinder. “The windows are all protected by burglar alarm wires. If you open one it will give the signal, and we’ll catch you before you can go ten feet, so be careful.” Larry said nothing. There was a chair in the room, and he sat down on it. The tall man made a careful examination of the window. As he had said there were wires around the frame, but they seemed old and rusty and Larry half believed they did not work. While one of the men remained in the room, the other went out. He came back shortly with a pile of rags and blankets which he threw in the middle of the floor. “There’s your bed,” he said to Larry. It was getting dusk, but Larry had no desire to go to sleep. He was too worried and anxious over his position and too full of wonder at what his mother and those on the _Leader_ might think about him. The two men left the room, locking the door after them, and Larry was left alone. He was more frightened than he cared to admit. He half wished the men would remain with him. He went to the window and looked out again. There was nothing to be seen except a wide expanse of open lots, and there was not a house within hailing distance. The glass in the windows seemed unusually thick, and Larry thought that if he tried to break it he might be badly cut. Besides, smashing the pane would give as loud an alarm as the ringing of the electric bell. Then, tired with his work, and worn out with anxiety, Larry threw himself down on the blankets, wondering what would happen on the morrow.