Accordingly Jack hardened his heart against that old couple. They had appealed to his sympathy on account of their age and apparent infirmity; but even that must not be used as a cloak to defend their base conduct. Many lives of brave fighting men among the Allies might be lost through the information they were even now confiding to that heavy-set young German spy. Jack again lay flat so as to watch, and Amos copied his example. It was not easy to ask questions and hear the answers; so that perhaps he could gather up more information by using his own eyes. Apparently those below were more than ever alarmed over the possibility of interruption from some source. Even as the two boys in the loft overhead renewed their eavesdropping tactics they saw that the old man had pressed a finger on his lips as though he would entail silence on the other two. After that he glided over and carefully lifted the table that stood in one part of the apartment, and which was different from the larger one at which they had partaken of that evening meal some time before. Amos, seeing what he was doing, glued his eye more eagerly than ever to the crevice, not wishing to lose a single thing. He watched the old man cast aside a piece of rag carpet that had covered this section of floor. Then to the surprise of the boys he lifted a regular trap in the floor, disclosing a dark aperture. Why, it was just like one of those old-time stories Amos could remember reading, that pertained to haunted mansions, traps in the floor, secret chambers, and passages, and even tunnels leading out from the cellars underneath. The boy could almost believe he must be dreaming, and yet, as he put out his hand and felt Jack alongside, he knew it was the real thing. Undoubtedly they meant that the spy should hide there, for some reason or other. The old woman had a bundle in her hand that might contain food, Amos concluded, and this she turned over to the stranger. Whoever the party was he did not seem at all averse to vanishing in those black depths; in fact, Amos considered that he acted as though only too willing. There must have been some sort of ladder leading downward, for they could see him descending. Then the woman ran over and, snatching up the candle from the shelf, held it as though more or less solicitous that the other might not slip and lose his footing on the rounds of the ladder. The boys saw the unknown flip his hand upwards just before he was utterly lost to sight in the gloom that lay heavy down under the trap. Then the old man lifted the section of flooring and allowed it to fall back into place again, though careful that it made no perceptible sound while so doing.