No Man's Island

  CHAPTER XXII

  A PARLEY

  "You're more hefty with tools than I am," said Pratt to Armstrong. "Soif you'll run upstairs and smash that chain off my uncle, I'll keep aneye on what's happening outside."

  "Right," replied Armstrong. "The hammer strikes me as a bit light forthe job, but one can only try. Yell if you want me."

  Taking the hammer and chisel, he leapt up the winding staircase to thetopmost room. Mr. Pratt was thoughtfully drawing his fingers throughhis beard.

  "So you are the third member of the trio," he said.

  "Yes, I'm Armstrong. If you'll kindly stretch the chain tight over theedge of the bed, I'll do my best to break a link. I'm afraid I shalljar you, but----"

  "Don't consider that. Make your break as near my leg as you can."

  "I'll break the loop. Are you ready, sir?"

  "Quite."

  For perhaps two minutes the room echoed and re-echoed with the metallicdin of hammering. The chisel was of finely tempered steel, and Armstrongcompensated the lightness of the hammer by the vigour of his blows. Alink snapped, the chain clanked upon the floor, and the prisoner stoodup, free.

  "Very neatly done," said he. "And now I will go below and join you andyour companions in a council of war."

  "There are only two of us now, sir," said Armstrong. "Warrender didn'tcome back."

  As they went downstairs he related succinctly the events of the lastthree-quarters of an hour. Mr. Pratt made no comment. Entering firstthe room at the bottom, he threw a glance on the printing press, thepiles of paper, and the Swede glowering on the floor; then he turned tohis nephew.

  "Well, Percy, what is going on?" he asked.

  "Nothing, Uncle. I haven't seen any of the men. D'you think they seethe game is up, and have bolted?"

  "I think not, judging by what your friend has just told me. It appearsthat they have captured the other man--Warrender, I think you calledhim--and they know that you two are here. It seems improbable that theywill decamp already. They outnumber you hopelessly, and it is more thanlikely that there is a large number of forged notes in the tower whichthey will secure if they can."

  "Well, as the coast seems clear, can't we get away?" asked Percy. "Wecame to rescue you; our job's done."

  "But, if you'll permit me, mine is just beginning," said Mr. Pratt. "Doyou suppose that I'd be content to walk meekly away, and let the pack ofscoundrels who have made my house a hotbed of crime get off with thefruits of their villainy?" The old gentleman spoke warmly. "I'veknocked about the world for more than thirty years, been in many tightcorners, and I've never knuckled under to man, beast, or circumstance.This is the tightest of them all, and, by the Lord Harry, I'll make afight for it. You young fellows----"

  "We're with you, sir," cried Armstrong, enthusiastically.

  "Rather!" exclaimed Pratt. "If you're game, Uncle Ambrose----"

  "Let us keep cool," returned his uncle. "I'm no longer under anyillusions as to the character of the wretches I was misguided enough toemploy. They are forgers--that is bad enough--but before they wereforgers they were anarchists, members of that fraternity of fools whoseideas, put into practice, would turn the world into a hell. There areno more reckless malefactors than these international gangs who exercisetheir criminal propensities under the cloak of political enthusiasm.Make no mistake, young fellows; in resisting Gradoff and his gang wetake our lives in our hands. In their eyes we are of less value thanrats."

  "We've got to keep 'em out, then," said Percy.

  "Let us keep cool, I repeat. Let us discuss the situation."

  "Yes, sir," said Armstrong, somewhat amazed at the professional mannerof the old gentleman; "but time's flying, and----"

  "Therefore it is vitally important that we should focus our attention.As I read the situation, we shall have to stand a siege. Gradoffdetermines to save his forged notes, if not his accomplice yonder. Thequestion is, what will he do?"

  "I know what I'd do if I----" began Pratt, but his uncle silenced himwith a gesture.

  "What you would do is not in question. What Gradoff will do we mustinfer from the probabilities. His final aim must be to get away quicklywith his booty. His booty is inaccessible while we hold the tower.Therefore he must either persuade or compel us to let him in. Findingpersuasion, reinforced by menace, futile, he will attempt compulsion.That is to say, he will bring up all his men and try to force the door.It is useless for us to blink facts--just peep through the crack, Percy,and see if he is already moving."

  Percy reported that still there was no one in sight.

  "Then we will continue our calm conference. Gradoff had four men underhim at my house. One of them, Jensen, the Swede, lies there. From whatyou tell me he employs also Rush, and another foreigner whom I havenever seen. You tell me that two strangers--by their appearanceforeigners--came with him to the tower to-day. Therefore we are threeagainst eight."

  "But we are inside," said Percy.

  "As a chicken is inside an egg. The shell can be cracked. That door,stout as it is, can be hacked through, blown in, or battered down.Probably they will not risk an explosion; it might attract even ourstolid village policeman to the scene. Defending our position with suchpoor weapons as we have, we cannot prevent the enemy from sooner orlater forcing an entrance."

  "These are surely arguments for scuttling, sir, while we have time,"said Armstrong.

  "I am not arguing, but calmly stating facts," returned Mr. Pratt."Scuttle! Is it conceivable that I shall scuttle for fear of thispirate crew, who have half-starved me, chained me up, carried on theirdastardly work under my roof? But let me keep cool," he added, checkingthe tide of indignation. "The villains break in, I say, sooner or later.What then? With your assistance I propose to defend the stairs. Thewinding of the staircase is in favour of the defence. In so narrow aspace the assailants lose the advantage of numbers. With resolution weshall hold our own."

  "But that can't go on indefinitely, Uncle," said Pratt. "They couldstarve us out."

  "Hardly; for this reason. You will be missed from your camp. Mr.Crawshay, you tell me, knows that you are making investigations. Yourprolonged absence will alarm him; he will raise a hue and cry. Gradoffis perfectly aware that what he has to do must be done quickly. If wecan withstand him for twenty-four hours, he is a beaten man."

  "You think, then, sir, that they will give it up within twenty-fourhours and then bolt?" said Armstrong.

  "That is my forecast. They will save their skins and lose their forgednotes, which are no doubt hidden away somewhere in the tower. Takeanother look out, Percy."

  The boy peered through the crack in the boarding, and again reported noone in sight.

  "Come with me to the roof," said his uncle. "From there we can survey awide extent of the park. Armstrong will oblige me by remaining onguard."

  He led the way up the stairs to the topmost room. Here he opened a lowdoor in the wall, which gave access to a short flight of steps leadingto the flat roof. Looking out towards the river, they saw a group ofmen gathered about the well-head. A moment later they caught sight ofGradoff and the two strangers approaching the tower from the directionof the house. Mr. Pratt leant over the parapet in full view, watchingthem. One of the strangers noticed him, and caught Gradoff by the arm.The Russian looked up, halted, and seemed for a moment to be takenaback. The three men spoke rapidly together, then advanced to the footof the tower. Gradoff tried the door. Retreating a few steps, hecalled up--

  "Hola!"

  "Well?" said Mr. Pratt, leaning on the parapet.

  "Come down and open the door. I have a proposition to make."

  "Make it now. I can hear you quite well."

  "You have Olof Jensen in the tower?"

  "He is a prisoner. Yes."

  "I also have a prisoner--one of three boys. I exchange him for Jensen,on condition that you come out with the other two."

  "An
d then?"

  "You shall go free, provided you promise to remain quietly in the parkfor two hours and do not approach the house."

  "You would accept my promise?"

  "Certainly."

  "And what assurance have I that you would keep yours?"

  "You have my word, witnessed by my friends here."

  "And what is your word worth, by whomsoever witnessed?"

  Gradoff's habitual smoothness left him. Shaking his fist, he shouted--

  "I will show you what my word is worth. If you do not unbolt the doorwe shall kill you like--like a dog. I give you one minute."

  Mr. Pratt leant motionless on the parapet, gazing down at the three menwith a grim smile. Beside him his nephew, tingling with excitement,felt unbounded admiration for this strange uncle of his. The minutepassed in silence. Gradoff, watch in hand, paced restlessly about. Hisfriends stood together.

  At the end of the minute Gradoff thrust his watch into his pocket.

  "Look out, Uncle!" cried Percy.

  One of the strangers had whipped out a revolver with extraordinaryrapidity and fired point-blank at the motionless figure above. Mr.Pratt did not wince--showed neither fear nor agitation. Slowlyunfolding his arms, he stood erect and turned to his nephew.

  "Come," he said, "I think it is time we went below."