"
"Why, it's all right," laughed Dick, only a bit brokenly. "It
was easy enough---with a fellow like Dave to help."
"Did he go up the flagstaff, too?" demanded Mr. Macey, opening
his eyes wider.
"No," declared Darrin promptly. "Prescott did it."
"But good old Dave was right at hand to help," Dick contended
staunchly.
"Get yourselves together, boys. Then we'll get down out of here,"
urged Mr. Macey. "I haven't done anything, but I feel as though
I'd be the one to reel and faint."
"Take this scarf, now, please," begged Dick, holding open his
coat.
The real estate man looked over the bauble that had placed two
manly lives in such desperate jeopardy. The fabric was much torn,
but all the precious stones still appeared to be there.
Mr. Macey folded the scarf and placed it in one of his own inner
pockets.
"Now, let us get down out of here," begged the real estate man.
"This place is giving me the horrors."
"You can start ahead, sir," laughed Dave. "But we want time to
put our shoes on."
Two or three minutes later the four started below, going slowly
over the ladder part of the route. When they struck the winding
staircase they went a bit more rapidly.
Down in the street it seemed to the watchers as though ages had
passed since the two boys had been seen going inside from the
iron balcony.
But now, at last, Herr Schimmelpodt heard steps inside, so he
threw open the heavy door at once.
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