He slipped the automatic into his pocket and borrowed a shot gun from one of the uniformed men. He felt more confidence in his ability to manipulate it. There were two or three torches which had been taken from the prisoners and with these his companions provided themselves. Labar started to lead the way when with an exclamation he came to an abrupt halt. "Lord! I nearly forgot." "Forgot what?" asked Moreland. "There's a man I shot laying along in here somewhere. He may be dead for all that I know. Just as well to have a couple of constables along to fetch him out." "Losing your memory I should say," commented the irrepressible Moreland. "A little matter like a dead man and you all but forgot him!" "And I reckon we'll take along one of the gang as a matter of precaution," said Labar. "There's every modern convenience in this tunnel, including steel doors which may be awkward to open." A man was selected from the prisoners and the little band of armed police officers started on their tour of exploration. Bill Malone elected to take the prisoner in his own charge and poking him with the muzzle of a pistol gave expression to prophesies of sudden and horrid calamity in the event of any monkey business. As they arrived at the first barrier Labar swung his torch and a sharp oath slipped from between his lips. That door he was confident had been left open. Now it was closed. The white-faced prisoner under the persuasion of a dig in the ribs from Malone's pistol point was called upon to open it. But it resisted all his efforts. "No good, sir," he said. "It's locked on the inside." "Here's a nice game," observed Malone. "Looks as if Larry had come back," said Moreland. "Or Tom and his pal," said Labar. "We may have to do some digging out." He put his face close to the metal and raised his voice. "You inside there. Can you hear me? Be good boys now and come out. You'll do yourselves no good by this foolishness." There was no answer. Labar turned to the prisoner. "Show me how this is supposed to work," he ordered. With docility the man indicated an unobtrusive knob at the side of the wall. "Push it in and then turn it first to the right and then to the left." The detective obeyed, but still the blank sheet of steel remained unmoved. He fiddled impatiently with the knob and suddenly the slab glided back. In an instant the officers had crouched back to the side of the wall with weapons ready and their torches searching the darkness, half expecting a shower of bullets from the interior. For a space they waited thus. Then Labar stirred and reaching over to the prisoner gripped his shoulder so that he squirmed. "Trying to put something over on us," he said sternly. "Just one more break of that kind and I'll find a way that will make you squeal. We're bad men to play with just now." "It was an accident, guv'nor," pleaded the man. "You must have handled it wrong."