headed for the entrance.

The gate was ajar two or three feet. With turbulent hearts, they
stole through.

"Keep along the wall," whispered Lorry, "and trust to luck. The
castle is to the left."

Without hesitation they crept over the noiseless grass, close
beside the wall. Directly they heard sounds near at hand. The
abductors were binding and chloroforming the guard at the arbor.
After waiting for some moments they heard the party glide away in
the darkness, and followed. The body of the guard was lying just
outside the mouth of the arbor, and the odor of chloroform was
almost overpowering. Once inside the long arbor, the Americans
moved slowly and with greater caution. There was a dim light in
a basement window ahead. Toward the front of the castle and in
the second story a faint glow came from another window. They
guessed it to be from the Princess' room or from that of the
countess.

At last they saw four figures steal past the dim basement light.
One of them halted near the window, and three crept away in the
darkness. Presently one of them returned, and all activity was
at an end for the time being. How near it was to two o'clock the
watchers could not tell. They only knew that they were within
twenty-five feet of Geddos and Ostrom, and that they would not
have long to wait.

Soon a bright little blaze of light crossed the basement opening.