while. Now come along with me."

"But what's all this mean?" asked Bill Gregg in a whisper, as he
picked up his suit case and hurried after Ronicky.

"Doped booze," said Ronicky curtly.

They hurried down the stairs and came out onto the dark street. There
Ronicky Doone dropped his suit case and dived into a dark nook beside
the entrance. There was a brief struggle. He came out again, pushing
a skulking figure before him, with the man's arm twisted behind his
back.

"Take off this gent's hat, will you?" asked Ronicky.

Bill Gregg obeyed, too dumb with astonishment to think. "It's the taxi
driver!" he exclaimed.

"I thought so!" muttered Ronicky. "The skunk came back here to wait
till we were fixed right now. What'll we do with him?"

"I begin to see what's come off" said Bill Gregg, frowning into the
white, scowling face of the taxi driver. The man was like a rat, but,
in spite of his fear, he did not make a sound.

"Over there!" said Bill Gregg, nodding toward a flight of cellar
steps.

They caught the man between them, rushed him to the steps and flung
him headlong down. There was a crashing fall, groans and then silence.