"What's that?" muttered Tom, and he sank down lower than the
sill and crept slowly to the window. He merely raised himself
until his eyes were on a level with the sill.

Coming up over the edge of the porch roof was a bulky figure.
It was so dimly outlined at first that Tom could scarcely be sure
that it was that of a man.

However, it was not possible that any creature but a man would
be able to mount the lattice supporting the honeysuckle vines and
so creep out upon the porch roof. Once making secure his footing,
the enemy in the dark approached directly the bathroom window at
which Tom crouched.



Chapter IX

Where was Koku?


Tom reached up swiftly and pushed over the lever that locked
the two window sashes. In doing this he set his own patent
burglar alarm. If that lever was turned back again, or broken,
the buzzers would be set ringing all over the house, and in
Koku's room over the garage.

He did not believe that the marauder on the roof of the porch
could have seen the flash of his shirt-sleeved arm. But he took