ventilator, when he heard the sound of footsteps on the other side of the
wall. Two men had entered the room, and by taking a little risk, Gurdon
could see that they were examining the unconscious boy coolly and
critically.

"I should think about five minutes more would do it," one of them said.
"Better carry him out, and shove him in that little sentry box of his.
When he comes to himself again he won't know but what he has fallen
asleep; barring a headache, the little beggar won't be any the worse for
the adventure."

"Have we got all the stuff up now?" the other man asked.

"Every bit of it," was the whispered reply. "I hope the old man is
satisfied now. It was not a bad idea of his to work this little game in a
great hotel of this kind. But, all the same, it is not without risks,
and I for one should be glad to get away to that place in the country
where we are going in a week or two."

Gurdon heard no more. He allowed the best part of half-an-hour to pass
before he ventured once more to creep through the ventilator and reach
the landing in the neighborhood of the lift. Everything looked quite
normal now, and as if nothing had happened. The lift boy sat in his
little hut, yawning and stretching himself. It was quite evident that he
knew nothing of the vile uses he had been put to. A sudden idea occurred
to Gurdon.

"I want you to bring the lift up to this floor," he said to the boy. "No,
I don't want to use it; I have lost something, and it occurs to me that I
might have left it in the lift."