CHAPTER VI--A PRISONER
"That's just what I should like to do," exclaimed Fred eagerly.
The knowledge that he was not to make the investigation entirely alonedoubtless strengthened the courage of the boy. All his friends wereaware that he was not cowardly and yet somehow his strange experience ofthe preceding evening in the old Meeker House had deeply affected him.Convinced as he was that there was an explanation to be found for everymysterious happening, nevertheless he was somewhat nervous at thethought of being alone in the neglected building.
"I have spent some time in here," said the tramp, "as I told you. It isa queer old house. For example, right here in this room," he added as heled the way into the front room, "there is a concealed closet. I don'tthink any one would ever find it unless he was told of it."
As he spoke the strange man turned a button, which was apparently a partof the molding of the stairway.
In response to his quick and energetic pull a door was opened and asFred peered within he saw there was a small room perhaps six or sevenfeet square. It was directly under the stairway and when he looked intothe adjoining room he saw that it extended within that room also.
"What was that for?" he said as he turned to his companion.
"I don't know," replied the tramp. "I suspect, though, that that iswhere they used to put the boys when they were naughty."
The tone of the man's voice, the language which he used; indeed the verybearing of the stranger, increased Fred's curiosity concerning him. Wasthis man no more than he appeared to be? Was he really a tramp, as hesaid he was? His clothing was old and worn, the care of his person hadbeen neglected and at first glance any observer might think that he wasan ordinary vagabond. Perhaps he was, Fred thought, and yet somehow hewas convinced that there were other things to be explained in connectionwith the stranger.
"Come up stairs," said the tramp, leading the way up the stairway.
Fred followed obediently and soon found himself in the hallway fromwhich opened several rooms. Some of these were large, though all werelow. For a moment, as he stopped to look about him, it seemed to Fredthat he almost saw the sights that the house had witnessed one hundredyears before this time. What stories of life and death, of suffering andjoy these old rooms might have told had they been endowed with the powerof speech.
Somehow, although Fred was unable to account for his feeling, it seemedthat unseen witnesses were about him and that the presence of himselfand the tramp in these rooms was very like an intrusion. He did notspeak concerning his feelings, however, and after a hasty inspection thetwo returned to the room below.
"What's that?" demanded Fred suddenly as from the chimney there camesounds like those which he had heard the preceding evening.
"I cannot see," replied the tramp, his eyes twinkling as he spoke.
"I cannot see, either," said Fred, "but I can hear. Don't you know whatthat noise is?" As he spoke the strange sound was repeated. It was abroken note, sharp and yet long-drawn out. It was clearly heard, too,and yet Fred was convinced now that it was no ghostly voice from whichthe chatter came. But what was it? His companion did not explain to himand he himself had no conception of the source of the strange sound.
They proceeded through the various rooms on the first floor, but nothingwas discovered that in any way explained the mysterious events whichFred had come to investigate.
Conversation had almost ceased, the tramp seldom speaking except to callto Fred to follow him, and Fred only occasionally asking such questionsas occurred to him.
"The cellar is the strangest part of all," said the tramp. "You don'twant to leave until you have seen that part of the old house."
"All right," declared Fred lightly. "I came over to see what I couldfind, and if there's anything in the cellar worth finding I want to seeit."
The stairs to the cellar were low and broad, but the wood in places haddecayed and fallen away. As a consequence when the tramp descended uponthe third step the rotten timbers in part gave way and he was compelledto leap to the ground below him. Fred too jumped, but the mishap did notcause any inconvenience, though neither of them spoke when both arose.
The light was dim, entering the place from two open windows which werejust above the ground. In silence the investigators moved about theplace until at last Fred said, "It seems to me like a dungeon down here.I don't know what they could have kept here."
"Probably they used to come down here with a candle. I have an idea thatif you boys thought you saw and heard strange things here last night youwere not unlike the boys of one hundred years ago who came down hereafter apples and potatoes."
"That's right," laughed Fred, although his laughter was not hearty. "Noman could crawl through either of those two windows. There isn't muchmore than room enough to put your arm through either of them."
"Wait a minute," said the tramp abruptly. "I'll be back here with alight. I want to show you something."
"What is it?" demanded Fred.
"Why, there's a well here in one corner. I don't know whether it wasmade in case the Meekers were attacked by the Indians and they wanted tobe sure of having what water they needed, or whether the house was builtover the old well, which they perhaps filled in and since then it hasfallen away."
"Never mind," called Fred. "I'll go upstairs with you. I don't careanything about the old well."
"But I want to show it to you," declared the tramp. "You wait here andI'll be back in a minute."
Hastily the strange man retraced his way to the room above, but nosooner had he gained the place he was seeking than the massive door wasdropped into place and left Fred in almost complete darkness.
The first feeling of the boy was that some accident had befallen hisrecent companion. He listened intently, but he did not hear any soundthat indicated any trouble in the room above.
Following this feeling of fear came the sensation of intense loneliness.Although the room was only dimly lighted, by this time Fred's eyes hadbecome somewhat accustomed to the semi-darkness and he was able to seeall about him. A pile of boards in one corner of the cellar were theonly objects he distinguished.
At first Fred had no feeling of fear. He expected the door to be openedat once and he waited confidently for a hail from the man who had justleft him. However, when several minutes elapsed and he heard no call norwas any attempt made to open the door, a feeling of alarm swept overhim. Again he glanced hastily about the cellar and keenly watched thelight of the setting sun as its beams were cast through the littlewindows.
Convinced that night was near at hand and somewhat alarmed now at hispredicament, Fred rushed to the heavy door and did his utmost to liftit. Whether or not the door was fastened he did not know, but hisefforts were unavailing. The massive door was unmoved and when a fewminutes had elapsed Fred was convinced that he was helpless to lift it.
Astonished by what he had already learned, he remained standing at thefoot of the stairway and in his loudest tones called to the man who hadrecently left him. "Open the door! Open the door!" he shouted. "I can'tget out. The door is fast."
His tones increased in loudness as he discovered that no attention waspaid his hail.
Repeatedly the anxious lad pounded upon the cellar-door and repeated hiscalls. The silence that rested over the old house was unbroken.Apparently no one was within hailing distance. What had become of thetramp was not clear, but apparently he had departed from the old MeekerHouse.
Almost desperate now, Fred dragged the boards from the corner in whichhe had discovered them and piling them up on the floor beneath thelittle window that opened upon the road he soon was able to look outupon the scene. No one was within sight. To call for help now would beuseless, if the tramp really had departed from the house.
He carefully examined the windows to see if it would be possible for himto lift the sash and thus make an opening that would be large enough toenable him to crawl through. He was unable, however, to accomplish histask and soon concluded that his sole reliance now was t
o wait untilsome one passed in the road and call to him for help.
Not many minutes had passed before a farm-wagon, drawn by two horses,was seen approaching. The farmer who was driving the team was apparentlyunaware of any call upon him, for his rattling wagon soon passed on andin spite of Fred's loudest calls for help he did not stop.
"I don't believe I am making enough noise," Fred sturdily declared tohimself. "The next one that passes I'll make him hear me whether hewants to or not."
A brief time afterward he discovered a boy driving a cow not far away onthe road. He was approaching the corner on which the old Meeker Housestood and in a brief time would be within hailing distance.
Convinced that his call before had not been heard because he had notused tones sufficiently loud, Fred increased his efforts. He shouted intones that were unnatural, they were so high keyed. He then whistled andgave his school yell as being likely to be heeded when his own callmight be unheard.
Nor were his efforts in vain. Fred saw the boy when he approached thecorner stop abruptly and give one startled look toward the old house. Amoment later Fred saw a picture which he never was able to forget. Thecow, with tail elevated, was running swiftly from the place, while closebehind her followed the boy, who at frequent intervals stopped andlooked behind him at the old Meeker House. It was evident to Fred whatthoughts were in the mind of the lad, for his frequent glances, as wellas his manner, betrayed his terror. Evidently he had heard stories ofthe old place that had not induced him to enter the building when suchstrange and unearthly sounds issued from the cellar.
A moment later the horn of an automobile was heard and soon afterward acar turned the corner. Fred was nearly hopeless by this time, but indesperation once more he did his utmost to make his voice heard. Theautomobile, however, passed on and apparently his calls for aid wereunheard.
Darkness would be settling over the land within a few minutes. Fredthought of his friends, who doubtless by this time had returned from thecountry-club and were puzzled to account for the absence of theirfriend.
Convinced that he was the only one except the tramp who knew where hewas at that time, Fred resolutely prepared to endure the wait that mustelapse before relief could be had. As he turned away from the window hewas startled by sounds that came from the room directly above him. Theboy, alarmed now and thoroughly distressed, stopped abruptly and waitedfor a repetition of the noise which had aroused him.