Lost on the Moon, Roy Rockwood [best reads of all time .txt] 📗

in a hurry. Now I’ll wait until dark, and then I’ll give you

something to eat, for I don’t want you to starve. But I must keep in

hiding, for, very likely, there’ll be a search made for him. Guess I’d

better stay here, and see what happens,” and the mysterious man pressed

the spring that sent the mantle back into place again, hiding all

traces of the secret room.

 

“It’s a good thing I stumbled upon this hiding place,” he said to

himself. “It couldn’t be better for what I want. Now to see what

happens next.”

 

He did not have long to wait, for in a short time Jack, as we have

seen, appeared on the scene, and began his search. At the sound of his

voice, calling for Mark, the man started in his hiding place, and

glanced uneasily at Mark.

 

“He may hear, and wake up,” he whispered.

 

Jack came upstairs in the deserted house, and continued his search

there, calling from time to time. He gave one loud shout at the head of

the stairs, and the very thing that the man feared would happen came to

pass.

 

The effect of the drug having worn off, Mark stirred uneasily, and

started up. He heard Jack’s cry, and uttered a half-articulate answer.

In an instant the man was at his side, and had quickly gagged him. This

had the further effect of awakening the unfortunate lad; and he

struggled to loosen his bonds, but they were too strongly tied. He

endeavored to answer Jack, but only a meaningless mumble resulted, for

the gag was effective.

 

“All you have to do is to keep quiet,” urged the man, as he knelt

beside Mark in the darkness. “As soon as your chum goes, I’ll take that

thing out of your mouth, and give you something to eat.”

 

Jack’s voice died away, and presently, as the ears of the man told him,

the boy left the old house. Waiting some time, to make sure that he

would not return, the man removed the knot of rags from Mark’s mouth,

and slightly loosened his bonds, first warning him, however, that if he

attempted to escape he would be harshly dealt with.

 

“But what right have you to keep me here?” demanded the youth. “Who are

you, and what have I done to you, that you should treat me this way?

Are you crazy? Don’t you know that you are liable to arrest for this?”

 

“No one can arrest me,” boasted the fellow.

 

“But why have you made me a prisoner?” demanded Mark.

 

“For reasons of my own. You’ll see very soon.”

 

“But what have I done to you?” persisted the lad. “I never saw you

before, that I know of, unless you are the man who sent me the note,

and who ran when my chum and I came to the bridge to meet you.”

 

“I’m the man,” was the answer, with a chuckle.

 

“Then you must be the one who tried to wreck our projectile,” went on

Mark.

 

“Yes, I did that, and now I am sorry for it, for I have thought of a

much better scheme for getting even, and having my revenge on you.”

 

“But why do you want to be revenged on us?”

 

“Because of what you have done!” and the man’s voice took on an ugly

tone.

 

“But what did we do?” begged Mark.

 

“You’ll know soon enough,” was the answer, with a cunning laugh, and

then Mark was sure he had to deal with a lunatic. He ceased his

struggles to loosen the bonds, and resolved to meet cunning with

cunning. He would bide his time.

 

“Will you promise to be quiet, and not kick up a fuss if I get you

something to eat?” asked the man.

 

“Yes; but I’d rather have a drink of water first. I feel sick.”

 

“Very well, you shall have some water. I’ll have to go out and get it,

but I must first blindfold you, so that you will not discover the

secret of this room.”

 

Mark could not help himself, for he was bound, and when the man had

tied a handkerchief over his eyes, Mark heard his captor moving about.

 

Next there came a sound as of some heavy body, or object, being pushed

across the room. Mark felt a draught of wind on his face, but it ceased

instantly, and he knew that he was alone. He tried to work the bandage

from over his eyes, and he endeavored to loosen his bonds, for he did

not consider that this violated his promise. But it was of no effect.

 

Presently he heard the moving, shoving sound again, and once more felt

the wind on his face. Then he heard the voice of his captor speaking.

 

“Here is food and drink. I’m going to untie your hands so you can eat,

but mind, no fighting, for I’m a desperate man, and I won’t stand any

nonsense!”

 

He fumbled about the bonds, and soon Mark was free to stand up and use

his hands. The bandage was taken from his eyes, and he was able to peer

about his prison by the light of a candle which his captor had brought.

 

Mark’s first glance was at the man. He was the same one who had emerged

from the house to attack and drug him, but as for recognizing in him

the person who had been at the bridge, this was impossible. As far as

Mark could tell he had never seen the man before, nor did he answer the

description given by Dick Johnson.

 

There was little danger that Mark would attempt violence. He was too

weak, and his jailer seemed a powerful fellow. Then, too, the lad felt

ill from the effects of the drug.

 

“Drink some water, and eat a bit, and you’ll feel better,” urged the

man, which advice Mark followed, though, his appetite was not of the

best, and he was much worried as to what his friends would think about

his strange disappearance.

 

“What do you intend to do with me?” asked Mark, when he felt a little

better from the effects of the food and drink. The man had sat on an

old soap box, and watched his captive while he ate.

 

“Do with you? Why, I’m going to keep you here until your friends have

left in the projectile,” was the answer.

 

“But why don’t you want me to go with them?”

 

“Oh, I have my reasons. You’ll find out soon enough. You can’t go,

that’s all.”

 

“But why do you take such an interest in me? Why didn’t you capture my

chum Jack, too, while you were about it?”

 

“Two reasons. One was that Jack wouldn’t answer my purpose, and the

other was that I didn’t have a chance to get him. You walked right into

my trap, just when I was doing my best to think of another plan to get

hold of you, since my first one failed.”

 

“But what is your purpose?” insisted the lad. “What do you want with

me?” He thought perhaps if he questioned the man closely enough he

might discover something that would give him a clew, or might aid him

to escape.

 

“You’ll learn soon enough,” was the answer.

 

“Will you tell me your name?” asked Marie quietly.

 

“No—why should I?” was the quick reply. “If I told you who I was you

would at once know why I have made you a captive here. No; you shall

hear all in good time, but that will not be until I am ready.

 

“Now,” went on his captor, after a period of silence, “I shall have to

bind and blindfold you again.”

 

“Why?” asked Mark, in some alarm.

 

“Because I don’t want you to see how I get in and out of this room, and

that’s the only way I can guard my secret. Though if you promise not to

remove the bandage from your eyes within five minutes from the time I

leave you, I will not have to tie your hands and feet. After I am gone

you may take the handkerchief off, but when you hear me rap on the

wall, ready to come back again, you must once more blindfold yourself.

Otherwise I shall have to tie you up.”

 

Mark considered a moment. It was not pleasant to be tied with the cruel

ropes, and he felt that in time he could penetrate the mystery of how

the room opened, even if he did not see his jailer enter and leave.

 

“I promise,” he said finally.

 

“That’s good. It simplifies matters. Now you can blindfold yourself,

and I trust to your honor. You may remove the bandage in five minutes,

but when you hear me knock, you must replace it until I am in the

apartment. Then you can take it off again.”

 

There was little choice but to obey, and Mark tied the handkerchief

over his eyes. He listened intently, heard the man moving about the

room, felt the wind on his cheeks, and then came silence.

 

He waited until he thought five minutes had passed, and then took off

the bandage. The candle was burning where the man had set it, but the

fellow himself was gone. He had taken with him the broken dishes, and

remains of the food Mark had not eaten. The glass and a pitcher of

water stood on a broken table, and Mark took a big drink.

 

“Now to see if I can’t get out of this place,” he murmured to himself.

 

Mark had invented many pieces of apparatus, and he was considered a

good mechanician. Consequently he went about his task in a systematic

manner. He examined the walls carefully by the candle, which he carried

in his hand, but no opening was apparent.

 

“Of course, there must be some secret spring to press,” said the lad.

“That’s how he gets in and out. A section of the wall moves, but where

it is I can’t see. It will take time. I must look at every inch.”

 

He was in the midst of his investigations when there sounded on the

wall back of him three raps.

 

“Ha! At least, that tells me where the opening is,” thought the lad.

“It’s on that side, but now I have to put that blamed bandage on. Well,

I may be able to escape yet.”

 

True to his promise, he blindfolded himself well, and presently he

heard a noise, felt a draught of air, and he knew his captor was in the

room.

 

“You can now take off the handkerchief,” said the man. “I have brought

you some more bags for bed clothing. It isn’t much, but it is all I

have. They will keep you warm tonight.”

 

“Are you going to imprison me over night?” asked Mark.

 

“Yes, and I’ll stay here with you. No one can find us here. The secret

room is well hidden. But first I have another matter that needs

attention. I am going to ask you a question.”

 

“What?” asked the captive, wondering what strange request the mentally

unbalanced man would make now.

 

The man leaned forward and whispered something in Mark’s ear, as if he

was afraid the very walls would hear.

 

“I’ll not do it!” cried the youth. “I’ll never aid you to deceive my

friends, for that is your object. I’ll never do it!”

 

“Then I shall have to use force,” was the determined response. “You may

take your choice!”

 

Poor Mark did not know what to do, yet there was