“Hold on!” he growled. “Hear the man’s story first. I’ve always found him true.” “Oh, I swear it!” cried Isaac. “I left the door securely barred. Come and see for yourself. They were asleep before I left them.” “Come on then, you dog!” hissed Van. “If I find you’ve lied, you shall die!” Up the stairs all now rushed. They found the prison cell of the girl captive empty. A brief examination told the whole story. The tracks on the fire-escape and the snow beneath told all. Fury and fear alike overwhelmed the villains. Their consternation was great. “We’ve been fooled!” cried Burke, savagely. “I tell ye it was a game!” “Them two Rubes weren’t what we thought they were.” Martin brought his hands forcibly together. “Curse it!” he cried. “We had the game right in our hands and didn’t know it. Them two jays were our men!” “The Bradys?” “Yes.” “They fooled us!” As this conviction dawned upon the villains their fury was beyond expression. Words cannot depict it. But Scraggs was sour. “Confound you for coming here at all!” he growled. “Why didn’t you lead those detectives somewhere else?” “We thought this the best place,” said Van. “If things had worked the way I thought they would——” “But they didn’t!” snapped Scraggs. “What are you going to do about it?” “That’s the idea!” cried Van. “We are gaining nothin’ hyar. We ought to chase ’em.” “Chase ’em!” said Burke. “In this snow?” “We ought to git along just as well as they kin!” “You fergit.” “What?” “They have snowshoes.” “Wall, git snowshoes, then, for us. I say, Scraggs, have ye such a thing?” “No!” replied the asylum keeper. “What do you take me for? I’m no keeper of a logging camp.” “No, nor anything else!” snapped Burke, viciously. “But if we can’t do any better we must wade.” “That would be a fool’s game,” said the asylum keeper. “They can go four steps to your one on snowshoes.” “Curse the luck! They can’t go far on such a night.” “Ten miles would put ’em beyond your reach.” “Wall, suggest a plan then,” growled Burke. “I’m sick of it.” “So am I!” snapped Scraggs. “I wish I’d never seen you or your girl. This will be my ruin.” “You’re awful afraid of being ruined,” said Blood, angrily. “I’ve paid you good money, Anthony Scraggs!” “And you’re making a fugitive from justice of me, the same as yourself.” “Well, you ought to be. You’re the worst shark of us all.” Old King Brady listened to all this wrangling with much edification. The old detective was exultant. Certainly he had reason to be. In a short while the asylum would be surrounded by armed men and the birds would be in limbo. The great case would be won. Old King Brady could hardly contain himself. He listened intently for some distant sound of the return of Harry. But time passed. The crooks did not attempt a pursuit. They abandoned it as impracticable. But they were alive fully to the exigencies of the moment. It had been decided to let the girl go without any effort to recapture her.