We did not; and again I breathed. The room was not only empty; the window was fastened on the inside; and an accumulation of the loose fittings of the house, evidently for sale to the incoming tenant, seemed to explain the locked door. At least I said so, and the explanation was received better than it deserved. We now proceeded, all four of us (abandoning system in our unsuccess), to search the cellar; but our man was not there, and I began to tell myself he was not in the house at all. Thus, as my companions lost their heads and rushed to the attics as one man, I found mine and elected to remain below. The room we had broken into was the one I chose to wait in; for I had explored no other, and wherever else he might be, the robber was not here. Judge then of my feelings when I heard him moving under my feet. Horror glued me where I stood, unable to call out, unable to move; my eyes fast as my feet to the floor, watching a board that moved in the dim light of a candle-end found and lit by one of the constables at our first inspection. The board moved upward; a grimy face appeared through the aperture; it was that of my old schoolfellow, Deedes _major_. "For God's sake, Beetle, help me out of this!" he whispered. "Deedes!" I could only murmur; and again, "Deedes!" "Yes, yes," said he impatiently. "Think of the old school--and tell me where they are. Are they gone?" "Only upstairs. What on earth's at the bottom of this, Deedes?" I asked him sternly. "A mistake--a rotten mistake!" said he. "They gave chase to me shortly after I left you. I got in here, but the one chap daren't follow me alone, and I ripped up this floor and got under while he was whistling away outside. I spotted a loose board by treading on it, and that bit of luck's just saved my bacon." "Has it? I'm not so sure," said I, walking to the door and listening. "What do they want you for?" "Would you believe it? For sticking up the bank--when I was out at my lunch! Did you ever hear such rot?" "I don't know; if you're an innocent man, why not behave like one? Why hide--they're coming down!" I broke off, hearing them. "Stop where you are! You can never get out in time!" In the candle-light his face gleamed very pale between the blotches of dust and dirt; but I fancied it brightened at my involuntary solicitude. "You will help me?" he whispered eagerly. "For the sake of the good old school," he wheedled, playing still upon the soft spot I had discovered to him earlier in the night. It was a soft spot still. I remembered him in the fifteen and the eleven; then overcame the memory, and saw him for what he was now. "Hush!" said I from the door. "I want to listen." "Where are they now?" "Looking on the next landing." "Then now's my time!" "Not it," said I, putting my back against the door. He rose waist-high through the floor, his dark eyes blazing, his right hand thrust within his coat; and I knew what was in the hand I could not see.