"  They  want  the  fifteen  hundred  dollars  in  gold,
for  which  I  hold  a  note  signed  by  Mr.  Gracewood."

"  No  matter  now,"  said  he,  impatiently.  "  Go
down,  and  give  them  all  the  rope  they  want."

"  Shall  I  give  them  the  note,  which  I  have  in
my  pocket  ?  "

"  I  haven't  heard  about  the  note.  If  you  had
told  me  the  whole  story  before  now,  I  should
have  known  better  what  to  do."

We  retreated  a  few  paces  from  the  skylight,
and  I  told  him  all  about  the  note  and  the  object
of  Lynch.  I  assured  him  that  Mr.  Rockwood
was  the  legal  heir  of  the  property.
"  The  note  is  of  no  consequence  then,"  said
Mr.  Bogart.  "  Give  it  to  them,  but  don't  indorse
it,  and  I  will  see  that  it  is  returned  to  you.  We
have  them  now.  They  can't  escape  us.  Now,
go  down,  and  let  them  have  their  own  way,  but
with  some  show  of  opposition."

I  descended  the  ladder,  and  stood  before  the
open  door  of  the  chamber,  when  I  saw  Lynch,
with  his  feet  on  the  table,  smoking.  Morgan
Blair  sat  opposite  him.  They  discovered  me  as


THE   MISHAPS    OP   A   MECHANIC.  267

soon  as  I  landed  in  the  hall,  and  made  haste  to
place  themselves  between  me  and  the  stairs,  in
order  to  cut  off  my  escape.  As  I  did  not  wish
to  escape,  I  gave  them  no  trouble  in  this  direc
tion,  but  entered  the  chamber.
268  PLANE   AND   PLANK,    OB


CHAPTER  XXIII.
IN  WHICH   PHIL   MEETS   A   PALE   GENTLEMAN  WITH
ONE   ARM   IN   A   SLING.
"  T  THOUGHT  you  would  come  back,  iny
1  dear  Phil,"  said  Mr.  Leonidas  Lynchpinne,
as  he  placed  himself  in  the  doorway  before  me.
