While Mattison was gone, Harvey felt his way through the Treasurer's
office and paused to listen; then he drew up a chair which stood near the
door, and climbing up, slipped off his coat and hung it over the half-open
transom. Then he closed the transom, and the room was practically light
proof. With the same caution he reached the floor, and tiptoed back to the
window, where he found Mattison waiting on the ladder.

"All right," whispered the Superintendent. "Are you ready?"

"Yes."

Mattison struck a match on his trousers leg, shielded it with his hands,
then handed it to Harvey, who kneeled at the door and began to whirl the
knob. Before he was through the light was close to his fingers, and he
held another match to the flame, taking care to light the wrong end. At
last the lock clicked, and Harvey opened the door a few inches, then he
whispered to Mattison, "If I whistle, you get down and I'll drop the
books."

He swung the door open, but stopped bewildered. Before him was the steel
gate with the clanging bell. However, the risk must be run, so motioning
Mattison to climb down he drew out his keys, and with a match ready in his
hand he jerked the gate open and dashed into the vault. Striking the
match, he quickly located the books he needed, carried them to the window
and pitched them out. Then he heard a thud on the door. He threw one leg
over the sill, but stopped--his coat was still on the transom. Some one
was struggling to break in the door now, for it shook. Harvey sprang back,
mounted the chair, and tore down his coat, tumbling to the floor, chair
and all, with a clatter. A voice shouted, "Open the door, or I'll shoot!"