Silence reigned in the dismal place for another hour or so and then Skippy heard Devlin moving about in his room. When the man walked hurriedly downstairs, Nickie awoke, wild-eyed and staring. "_Who--what's that?_" he whispered hoarsely. "Just Devlin," Skippy answered. "What's the matter--you ain't been dreamin' like Timmy?" Nickie ran his fingers through his straight black hair as he sat up. "I don't know--maybe so. I just get scared when I hear the least little sound in this joint. _Me_, that's never been scared of nothin'--hah!" "I know," Skippy admitted. "I guess Devlin makes us feel that way, huh?" Nickie nodded. "If I didn't hate the jug worse'n this house, I'd say, let's sneak." "Maybe we'll have to," Skippy said softly, and nodded toward the sleeping Timmy. "If we stick round s'long as he's done an' get like he's now, I'd rather take a chance an' beat it." Nickie nodded thoughtfully. "Anythin' you say, kid, an' I'm stringin' along. Even if you're only a kid, that bean of yours works all day." Skippy warmed to Nickie for that tribute and he felt less afraid. It gave him a sense of strength to know that he had such an ally for he realized that he could do little alone. Devlin called them gruffly to breakfast and the food wasn't bad. It would have been almost pleasant, Skippy ventured to remark, if they only had more light in the kitchen. Nickie agreed to this, but Timmy seemed in a daze. After breakfast, Devlin made a concession which took them by surprise. "On account of the weather being so hot," he said gravely, "I'm going to let you boys stay outside a while." "Gee!" Skippy murmured. Devlin scowled. "It's taking a chance to let you out, but I'm counting on you not straying away from in sight of this house--_understand_?" After a pause, he added: "I got my reasons." They understood only too well and made no further comment when Devlin unlocked the front door and sat on the ugly high stoop as they passed down and into the clearing about the house. Timmy sat on the bottom step, blinking his blue eyes and clasping and unclasping his hands. "What's the matter?" Skippy asked sympathetically. Timmy grinned. "I been in that dark house so long, my eyes don't know howta act, that's all." He took a long, deep breath of the murky air as if it were the utmost luxury. Then suddenly his thin, pale face became almost colorless and he nodded toward the right of the clearing. "Look!" he gasped. The other boys turned and saw a huge evergreen tree spreading its branches over the sinister house. Not a breath of air rustled its broad boughs--it seemed to stand there waiting. "The tree in my dream!" Timmy said, trembling. "I never seen it till now! When I come here it's night an' I don't notice it. I never looked out front--just now it's the first...." "What's he talking about?" Devlin said, annoyed, from the top of the stoop. "About that tree!" Nickie said, with ill-concealed contempt. "He had a terrible dream bout it last night--see?"