CHAPTER XVI.--THE RAID.
The first point of destination of the police squad, was to the door outof which Will had made his escape, and he led the men directly to it. Itwas unlocked, as he had left it, but four men were left there, and theothers followed the boy around to another street, where was the numberat which he had entered the den.
"I've made no mistake in this number, but yet it don't look like theplace," he said as he stopped before the door.
"I hope you have made no mistake, my lad," anxiously said Captain Daly.
"I know I have not, sir; but then I can't find the bell."
In vain he searched, there was no bell at the side, but instead a largeold-fashioned knocker.
"This is a white door, sir, as you see, and the other was paintedbrown."
"Then you are certainly mistaken, my lad."
"No, sir, I am not mistaken, for this is the number, but--"
"But what?" asked Captain Daly, as Will paused.
"They have taken out the bell from the side, sir, and _changed the door,since I left_."
Several of the policemen laughed, but Captain Daly did not, and said:"If you say so, Will, I'll believe you.
"Your dark lantern here, Gibson."
The man addressed handed over his lantern, and Will ran the light up anddown the door-post.
"Here's where the bell-knob was, sir, and it's been plugged up as yousee, by something that fits in."
"You are right, Will," and the captain gave the knocker three sharpblows.
But no response came, and Will said: "They'll not answer, sir, forthey've changed this door to fool me, and they know I've escaped fromthat man I locked in his room."
"All right, we'll open the door ourselves.
"In with it, men!"
Half a dozen policemen threw themselves against the door; but itwithstood their weight, and the locks within only yielded after repeatedtrials. Then the door flew open, and all entered the hallway, closing itbehind them.
The next door then confronted them, but Will pointed out the panel, anda club smashed that in, when Captain Daly put in his hand and drew backthe bolt.
"This is a secure nest, that is certain; but I fear we'll find itdeserted," said Captain Daly, and with their lantern-shades raised, theyhastily followed Will up the stairs.
He went directly to the door by which he had entered, and the panel wasopened with a club, and the officers dashed in, and throwing themselvesagainst the inner door it yielded to their weight with a crash.
Then they found themselves in the large living room of the band, fromwhence Will had made his escape.
The bunks were there, the table, chairs, dumb-waiter, and much clothingand bedding was scattered about, showing a hasty departure; but not asoul was present.
"Will you follow down the chimney, sir?" asked Will.
"Yes, I will follow with several of my men, while the remainder break inevery door of this nest, which is, indeed, a safe retreat.
"Come, men, I want only those who have cool heads on lofty places to go,for, from what he told me, it will require all your nerve to followhim."
Four of the officers volunteered, and up the ladder went Will, he havingin the meantime recovered his hat, shoes and jacket from the floor.
Out upon the roof, in the drenching rain, the boy stepped, and made hisway fearlessly along the dizzy hight, followed by Captain Daly and hismen, who stepped with the greatest caution, for they realised theirdeadly peril at a glance.
Fearlessly the brave boy led the police captain and his men, the chiefcalling out: "Go slow, Will, for a false step here will send us toperdition!"
Reaching the chimney, Will sprang upon the top and disappeared in theinterior, the others following, and descending the iron ladder insilence.
Down to the fire-place went Will, and the instant after Captain Dalyjoined him, and handing the boy his dark-lantern to spring open, the twohastily sprang out into the room.
It was deserted, but the door was partly open, for the lock had beenwrenched off.
The pictures were on the wall, the bed all rumpled up, and the lamp wasupon the table, while there was every indication of a hasty departure,as in the assembly room.
Then the police went on a voyage of discovery through the house.
It was an old-time mansion, two stories, narrow in build, and ran backagainst the one on the other street, to which the false chimneybelonged, and in it were some half-score of poor, but reputable lodgers,who, aroused by the police, were amazed at the raid upon them.
In answer to inquiries, they said that the room on the rear, throughwhich the officers had come, was occupied by an artist, they had heard,though no one seemed to know much about him except that he had a numberof visitors.
That there was a secret connected with his living there they had notsuspected.
Confident that the lodgers of the house told the truth, Captain Dalyleft two of his men on duty there, and started around the block to theother house.
He found the party still on guard at the door, and they had not seen orheard anything of a suspicious nature.
Going around to the other house Captain Daly found that his men hadthoroughly searched the place from the cellar to the attic.
They had discovered the door which Will had remembered to have seen infront, and as it was still dripping wet it showed that it had beenremoved that night from its place, to throw the boy off his guard, butit had, however, failed to do so.
In different rooms of the house was found a quantity of stolen booty,the loss of some of which Captain Daly and his men had heard of, andthere was every indication that it was a nest of burglars of a daringand desperate nature.
The Land Sharks had long been known to the police for their bold acts ofcrime, yet they never before could be located, and even the gruffest ofthe policemen praised Will for what he had done.
Dawn was now breaking, and a neighbour, coming out of his house, wasasked who owned the premises.
He said that his landlord did so, and giving the address, the proprietorof the two houses was at once looked up; but he was amazed at what heheard, for he let the property to an old woman who said she wished tokeep boarders, and had regularly paid her rent three months in advance,and had built a new chimney and made other improvements which she hadpaid for herself.
The landlord was greatly amazed to find what those improvements were,but he could give no clue as to who or what his tenant was, or where shecould be found.
Having discovered the secret retreat of the Land Sharks, however, was acause of congratulation, and the booty found was considerable, so thatWill was praised for his good services, and at once told that he was toconsider himself a member of the Secret Service and to report thefollowing day after he had become rested, for the night of peril andhardship the good-hearted police-captain could see had told on the braveboy.
With a heart bounding with joy, Will had hastened home, and his motherand sister greeted him warmly, for they were most anxious regarding hislong absence, and with wonder they listened to the strange story of hisadventures, while Pearl cried in glee: "Hurrah for the Boy Detective!"