A figure crept stealthily through a break in the other end of the ruined building, now, but they did not notice it.

“Tom,” whispered Huckleberry, “does this keep us from ever telling — always?”

“Of course it does. It don’t make any difference what happens, we got to keep mum. We’d drop down dead — don’t you know that?”

“Yes, I reckon that’s so.”

They continued to whisper for some little time. Presently a dog set up a long, lugubrious howl just outside — within ten feet of them. The boys clasped each other suddenly, in an agony of fright.

“Which of us does he mean?” gasped Huckleberry.