On the day of the examination of Carlos, strange things happened in and near Leonard Lester’s subterranean prison.

Leonard awoke early in the morning, after a night of fitful sleep. His first thoughts were, of course, of Carlos, and of the message he had sent him. He wondered whether it would reach him in time, and, if it did, whether the important words in German would catch his attention.

There were some remnants of his previous evening’s supper remaining, and also a portion of the wine. On these he made a breakfast, and afterward walked about, impatiently awaiting whatever might ensue.

It might have been nine o’clock when the door was opened with considerable haste and noise. Snags stepped in hurriedly, threw down a newspaper and a loaf of bread, and immediately rushed out again. The door was closed with a bang, and Leonard was left alone, somewhat astonished at the hurried action of Snags, who had not spoken a word.

In a moment afterward he was startled by a new and strange noise. He had thought that any noise would be welcome in that silent place, but this was of such a peculiar and unusual character that he listened in alarm.

It was like the sound of rushing water, as if a torrent had broken loose, or a cascade suddenly sprung into existence, very near him. Yet he could see nothing.

Had some underground stream burst its confines and made its way to the rocky cavern? Was some convulsion of nature about to precipitate destruction upon him?

It was natural that such questions should cross his mind, for the noise continued, and its volume of tone in nowise diminished.

He stepped to the door of his apartment. The torrent seemed to be just outside and very near, and little streams of water ran along on the ground at his feet.

He shouted, but there was no response.

Was he to be ingulfed by the water and drowned in that dismal cave, with no one in the outside world the wiser for it?

The thought was enough to fill one with dismay. He walked from side to side of his prison, with the faint hope that there was some means of escape that had hitherto escaped his attention. His search was fruitless.

He stood still and listened again. The sound had not abated. He scanned the rocky floor. The water was not running in to any great extent, there being only two or three small trickling streams.

Perhaps there was no danger, after all. At any rate, he had no choice but to wait and see.

The sound of the torrent continued with dull monotony all day, but no harm came to Leonard. He was puzzled beyond measure.

At nightfall it ceased as suddenly as it had begun.

In a moment after Snags entered.

“What on earth has been going on out there?” cried Leonard.

“Why?” asked Snags.

“Ishould judge that Satan had been taking a shower-bath.”

Snags laughed.

“Oh, that’s one of the tricks of our trade. Visitors have been around to-day.”

“Visitors?”

“Yes; they come occasionally. The cave is quite a curiosity in its way, and once in a while somebody takes it into his head to explore it. That was the case to-day, and so we let the water on.”

“Let the water on?”

“Yes; the existence of this room is a secret, known only to us. There is an underground stream which empties over the rocks by the sea, and we have a sort of dam or gate by which we can turn the water over the door here. It’s a very simple arrangement, but it prevents discovery.”

“Discovery of this room, you mean? Why do you wish to keep its existence a secret?”

“Well, there’s a very good reason just now—you’re here.”

“Yes, Iknow; but at other times?”

“That Imustn’t tell you.”

“No? Well, it is very strange. Ishould think you would have to keep a pretty sharp lookout for visitors.”

“Yes, we do,” replied Snags, with a smile.

“What has become of those other fellows that were here the night you captured me? You sent them in pursuit of me when Itried to escape with the boat.”

“Oh, they’re gone. They don’t stay here much of the time. They only happened to be at hand that night. It was lucky, too.”

“Who are they, and what is their business?”

“Now you are asking too many questions again,” said Snags. “Ican’t answer.”

“Ipresumed not. What of my cousin?”

“The examination is going on. Your note was put in the post-office early this morning.”

“Thank you again for that.”

“Oh, never mind. Idon’t know whether Iam sorry or glad that Idid it. But no matter, it’s done.”

There was silence for a moment, and then Snags said:

“I’ve brought you another bottle of wine. Ithought your nerves might need bracing up after hearing the din of that waterfall all day.”

“Thank you,” replied Leonard; “but Iguess my nerves are all right. Besides, the other bottle is not empty yet.”

“Oh, isn’t it? This is a better article, though. Just try it. I’ll take the other bottle away.”

There was something peculiar in Snags’ manner. He seemed awkward and ill at ease. He alternately regarded Leonard intently and dropped his eyes to the ground.

“What’s up?” thought Leonard. “This man is playing some game, and he’s not very good at it, either. However, Imust not betray any suspicion. But it is plain that he has some object here other than bringing the wine.”

He took a swallow from the bottle Snags had brought.

“Excellent!” he exclaimed. “It is better than the other.”

Alook of satisfaction instantly overspread the face of Snags. He picked up the first bottle he had left, now half-emptied, and started for the door.

“Take a good drink,” he exclaimed, “it will do you good. Good-night!”

And he left precipitately, without giving Leonard a chance to speak another word.

The latter stared at the closed door, and stood for a moment in meditation.

“Iwonder what Snags was driving at,” he murmured.

He took another sip of the wine and smacked his lips as if to test its flavor.

“It has a peculiar taste,” he muttered to himself. “Iwonder if it’s drugged. Perhaps they want to poison me. Iwonder if Ihave already taken enough to harm me.”

He resolved to wait and see if it produced any effect on him, first taking the precaution to pour a considerable quantity of it in a crevice in the rocky floor, so that if they should examine the bottle it would appear that he had drank freely of it.

The effect of the small portion he had taken soon manifested itself in a feeling of drowsiness which took possession of him. It was not a natural fatigue, but rather a numbness such as might have been produced by a powerful opiate.

“Idon’t believe Ihave taken enough to cause serious results,” he reflected. “Iwill take a little exercise and see if Icannot work it off.”

He walked rapidly to and fro in his apartment, first taking the precaution to remove his boots so that his footsteps might not be heard.

He soon had the satisfaction of feeling wide-awake and clear-headed. Indeed he was keener and more alert than ever, for his suspicions had made him watchful and nervous.

In order to arrive at a complete solution of his captors’ plans, however, he lay down with the bottle near him, and prepared to feign deep sleep on the approach of either Snags or Roake. It was some hours before he was disturbed, and he improved the time to take occasional exercise, so as to make sure that sleep should not overtake him.

About midnight his quick ear detected a movement on the other side of the door. He immediately composed himself in a reclining position, with one arm thrown partially over his eyes.

When the door was opened he was breathing heavily.

Snags advanced stealthily into the room and scrutinized him attentively. He lifted the bottle and examined it.

The voice of Roake came in a hoarse whisper from the half-open door.

“Has he drank the wine?”

“Yes,” replied Snags, laying the bottle down again, “enough to keep him quiet till morning.”

“Good!”

Both men withdrew and soon returned, bearing a ladder. They hoisted it toward the ceiling, and with the end of it pushed aside a small trap-door, painted to represent the rocks so exactly that the closest observer would fail to detect its presence. They then planted the ladder on the floor, with its upper end projecting into the opening thus made. There was evidently an apartment above, to which access was gained in this way.

They took another look at Leonard, and, apparently satisfied that he still slept, ascended the ladder. One of them carried a small lantern. They both disappeared through the opening, and then Leonard could hear them moving about and talking in low tones.

Soon a rope was lowered, and directly afterward Snags descended. He stepped to the door and blew a peculiar whistle. Afaint reply was heard from without, and Snags immediately reascended the ladder.

In a few minutes a man entered, bearing a bundle on his shoulder. It was enveloped in brown sacking, and had a compact look. There were strange-looking foreign marks on the outside. The man attached the bundle to the rope, and it was drawn above. Soon another man entered bearing another bundle, and then a third one came, similarly laden. All of the packages were disposed of as the first one had been.

Then these three men journeyed back and forth, bringing boxes, and bales, and bundles, some of which were light and easy to carry, and others of which required the united efforts of the three to handle.

Leonard was at first astonished. The proceeding was inexplicable to him. But he soon arrived at a solution of the mystery. He concluded that his captors must be smugglers. The rocky cave, its secret apartments, its proximity to the sea-shore, its retired location, were all favorable to the carrying on of the unlawful business. He was excited by the discovery, yet he remained quiet, for to expose his wakefulness would be instant death, he felt. Occasionally one of the men would step near him and scan his face, but he was always on his guard, and kept up the semblance of deep sleep.

For two hours or more the smugglers continued their labors, and at the end of this time their work seemed to be finished. They stood about, wiping the perspiration from their brows, and brought in no more packages.

“Is that all?” inquired Snags from above.

“Yes,” replied one of them.

“Is he still sleeping?”

“Sound as a log.”

“All right. Come up here, all of you.”

They ascended the ladder, and the five men above occupied themselves, as Leonard judged, in arranging in order the articles that had been hastily drawn up.

Leonard was alone, and believed to be unconscious. Here was a tempting opportunity. The door was ajar, and why could he not escape?

He resolved to make the attempt.

He rose softly, taking his boots in one hand and the wine-bottle in the other, to be used as a weapon in case his progress was opposed.

He stole silently across the room, and into the outer passage. Here he paused and listened. The voice of Roake said:

“Did you close the door?”

“No,” replied one of the men.

“You had better go down and do it.”

“All right. Wait till Iget the box rolled over here.”

Leonard hastened on. The passage was dimly illumined, as before, by a lamp hanging from the ceiling. He remembered the route perfectly, and, making his way as rapidly as possible, he was soon in the open air by the sea-shore.

Here he paused for an instant in utter amazement. He recognized the place as Rocky Beach. It was here that he had come on a fishing jaunt, the day before the murder. The bright starlight revealed the place and its surroundings to him. There could be no mistake.

But he must not linger. His captors might be upon him in a moment.

Two yachts were moored near the beach with sails ready to hoist. One of them was small enough for one man to manage. Afresh breeze was blowing, and, as Leonard was an experienced yachtman, his course was decided upon immediately.

Springing into one of the boats, he pushed it from the shore and hoisted the sail. It caught the wind, and was soon cutting through the water.

He looked back. There was as yet no movement on the shore. He had a good start, and believed he could not be overtaken, even if his flight were made known at that moment.

Heading the yacht toward the open sea, he now had leisure, as it sped along rapidly, to consider his situation and to form his plans.