"Not if you wanna quit till tomorrow. An' I don't like to do that, Nickie. Sump'n tells me do what we can tonight." "Just's you say, kid. I'm gettin' so's I feel you're a reg'lar mascot--see? I ain't doin' nothin' without you sayin' it's K. O." Skippy grinned and took his turn at the window. The thunder was rolling away into the distance but the heat lightning blazed across the black sky at frequent intervals. The moaning wind echoed back and forth mournfully and the rain made a hissing noise as it lashed the window sill. Fallon had pulled the trunk as near the window as possible. He made a doleful picture sitting there, the lantern held at arm's length so as to give Skippy light. His pale face was in a half-shadow and his narrow shoulders drooped dejectedly. Suddenly he looked up and his black eyes were questioning. "Hear a noise, kid?" Skippy stopped his tugging at the top bar and shook his head. "What kinda noise?" "Like somebuddy runnin'. Maybe I'm crazy--just hearin' things." "The wind an' the rain, I betcha," Skippy said, getting back to his task. "It'll last all night--I think it's gettin' cooler." "Yeah, an' you'n me's gettin' wetter. We'll be plenty cool by the time we get through. Gimme a whack at it now, hah?" "Wait a minute. I ain't tired yet--it's loosened a little more." Nickie sighed. "Just on one side yet, hah? Holy smoke, at that speed...." Then, suddenly: "Kid, I hear somebuddy! Somebuddy runnin'!" Before Skippy could answer they were startled by a cry that seemed to come from the clearing. [Illustration: "HE JUST STOOD WAITIN' FOR ME TO DROWN!"] CHAPTER XX TIMMY? Nickie jumped up and held the lantern high over their heads. They looked down into the clearing but for a long time the black night and the screaming wind and rain obscured their vision. Skippy thought he saw something moving but he wasn't sure. Again a thin, piteous scream pierced the storm. _Nickie--Kid?_ Can't you guys hear me? It's _me_--_Timmy_!" "_Timmy!_" Skippy shouted. "What...." "Listen," came the cry, "I wanta tell you guys ... that's why I come back ... I'm hurt--I don't know how I found this place, honest! Somethin' made my feet run this way so's I could tell you ... he's got no heart ... he's...." "We'll come down, Timmy--in front!" Skippy shouted. "Downstairs!" "It won't do no good!" came the answer. "You can't get out unless he leaves you--then beat it for your life!" There was a pause, then: "Frost ... where's he?" "He ain't here, Timmy!" Nickie cried, finding his voice. He swung the lantern higher and then, for the first time, they could see the slight form swaying down by the evergreen tree.