Of course, Dick did not submit willingly, but with a gag in his mouth, and his hands and feet tied tightly, he could do but little. As soon as the men had taken his things from him, they shut the closet door upon him and locked it. A few minutes later all became quiet, showing that they had left the room. The closet was small and stuffy and in this warm weather made Dick perspire freely. But without waiting to make certain that the men were really gone, he commenced to work upon his bonds and the gag in his mouth. It was no light task and it was a good quarter of an hour before he got one hand loose. Then he freed his other hand and undid the troublesome gag, which had all but smothered him, and then unfastened his feet. He was still a prisoner in the closet, the door of which was an old fashioned one and thick. But by bracing his feet against the back wall, Dick got a firm hold and soon his shoulder on the barrier caused it to bend and creak. Then the lock gave way and the door flew open with a bang. A glance around the room showed that the men had flown, and for good, for two valises which had stood in a corner were missing. Dick leaped to the hall door, only to find it locked from the outside. "They must have gone that way," he reasoned, after a look out of the window, and then he rapped on the door loudly. It was several minutes before anybody answered his summons. Then an ignorant looking chambermaid appeared. "Phot does yez want?" she demanded, in a strong Irish brogue. "I am locked in. Let me out," answered Dick. After some fumbling, the chambermaid found her key and unlocked the door. She gazed at Dick in some surprise, for she saw that he was excited. "Sure, I didn't know yez had that room," she said. "Did you see the two men who had this room?" demanded the youth. "I did not." "They robbed me and ran away." "Saints preserve us! Robbed ye? Of phat?" "Of everything I had. Sure you didn't see 'em?" "Not since this marnin'." "Well, they must have just gone out," said Dick, and ran down the stairs and to the office. Here he found the place deserted, the clerk having gone down to the dining room for his supper, and nobody else being on duty. The clerk listened to his story with small interest and shrugged his shoulders. "Don't see what I can do," he said. "We ain't responsible for our guests. You had better go and see the police. I hope you catch them, for such rascals give hotels bad reputations." "Do you know the men at all?" "No, never set eyes on 'em until a couple of days ago. Then they came in, hired that room, and came and went to suit themselves. One was named Brown and the other Smith--at least that's the names on the register." "Those were fake names. Then you won't help me to catch them?" "I don't see what I can do," answered the clerk, calmly. "We are not to blame for this, you can see that for yourself."