“Wait a minute—I’ve an idea!” Sanborn pointed2 to the fireplace. Bill nodded and together they wriggled4 across the rugs.
The chimney, with its grate of glowing coals, was an old-fashioned structure. Although probably no older than this modern residence, it appeared to be a worthy5 monument of another generation. Wide at the base, it tapered6 toward the top, and on its inner walls a number of iron staples8, rusty9 and covered with soot10, led upward.
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Sanborn stepped within the chimney and grasped the first staple7. “Phew!” he gasped11, jerking his hand away, “—hot!”
“And probably insecure.” Bill was beside him now. They were out of the line of fire from the door and windows. “I’ll tell you what—that ladder! Wait—” He picked up a small shovel12 from the hearth13. “I’ll get these live coals into the scuttle14. That should cool the chimney some.”
Sanborn helped with a tongs15, and the coals were quickly transferred. Bill found a wall switch and turned off the light. Together they went to the window by which Bill had entered, and cautiously lifting the shade a couple of inches, they peered through the glass. Three men, revolvers in hand, were approaching the ladder across a flower bed.
“Get ’em in the legs,” whispered Sanborn.
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Two shots rang out like one, and two of the attackers dropped in their tracks. The third, evidently deciding that distance lent enchantment16, streaked17 for the shadow of the trees without returning their fire. They let him go.
Bill raised the window and they seized the topmost rung of the ladder and started to haul it into the library. It was half-way through the window when there came a flash from the corner of the house. The glass door of a bookcase was shattered, but neither Bill nor the detective paid any attention to it. A second more and the ladder was inside.
Sanborn mopped the perspiration18 from his brow. “Jiminy! That was close, Bill.”
Bill nodded and stuck his head out of the window. “Lucky they can’t see us, sir. They might try to snipe us from behind the trees.”
As though in answer to his challenge, without warning, the chandelier that hung from the ceiling in a spray of electric bulbs, sprang into light.
“Duck, Bill, duck!” A fusillade of shots rang out as the pair dropped to the floor.
203
Bill’s eyes fell upon the pile of black coal he had dumped from the scuttle before filling it with the hot ones from the grate. Motioning Sanborn to follow, he wormed his way to the hearth and picked up a good-sized piece of coal. He handed it to Sanborn and took a similar piece himself. Then he pointed to the electric bulbs, and winked19 cheerfully.
They hurled20 their missiles simultaneously21. Bill’s was a bullseye but the detective’s fell short of the mark. With the “plop” and the tinkle22 of falling glass, one of the bulbs was out of action. Bill grabbed another coal and a moment later the room went dark again.
“Good shooting, Bill.”
“Not so worse. Now gimme a hand with the ladder, sir. We’ll push it up the chimney.”
It was easier said than done. The ladder was too long and the angle too acute.
“Never mind, Bill. We must chance it.”
204
Ashton Sanborn felt the staple he had tried before. It was still warm, but bearable to the touch. “I’ll go first. It’s a good thing you wore gloves.”
“Yes, but I wish they were leather, not cotton. Still, my hands feel all right.”
“That’s good. Got a handkerchief? Here’s mine. Stuff one inside each glove. They’ll protect the thin skin of your palms.”
“Thanks. Gee23, this is a wild party, isn’t it? I didn’t expect to be throwing coal at light bulbs—or stuffing handkerchiefs in my gloves—but say, sir, what about Lambert?”
“Lord! I’d almost forgotten him. Here, lend me a hand with the ladder. It will be useful after all. We don’t want our friend to topple over with the chair and let them in that way.”
205
They placed the top of the ladder against the upper panel of the door and thrust the bound man’s head between two of the rungs. Then they jammed the foot of the ladder into one of the bookshelves, removing half a dozen books to make way for it. It fitted and held firmly.
“Good! Now, you keep the ladder nicely in position, Lambert,” warned the detective. “The chances are if they break down the door, they’ll break your neck. Sorry—but time means more than kindness just now. You weren’t too considerate of a certain young lady the other night, either. And it will probably save the state the price of a hangman—So long!”
They left the silent figure and again essayed the ascent24 of the chimney. The air was almost stifling25, but the staples held. Through clouds of soot dislodged by their progress, the two made their way upward. There came a slope in the angle of the chimney, and a dim square appeared overhead, a shade less dark than the blackness that enveloped26 them.
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Sanborn felt for his electric torch, then remembered he had left it in his car. Feeling in his pockets, he finally produced a box of matches. After considerable trouble, he managed to strike one. The draught27 immediately extinguished it. The nearer they got to the top, however, the less dark the chimney seemed. Meanwhile he had to feel round for every staple, sending showers of soot upon Bill with every movement.
Again Sanborn felt the wall. Yes, there was no doubt about it. A good twenty feet to go, and no more staples. Well, there was nothing for it except to travel mountaineering fashion, back braced28 against one wall, feet against the other. It seemed simple enough, but when he attempted it, the chimney proved too wide, and he all but crashed onto Bill just below.
207
A sudden gust1 of wind sent a cloud of smoke belching30 down the shaft31. Sanborn shut his eyes and gripped the last staple. He could hear Bill coughing and spluttering down below, while the shaft slowly cleared. Then Sanborn discovered that just above his head the inlet of another chimney joined the main shaft. He decided32 that the smoke came from there. It must be passed, and quickly, for the air was foul33 enough without the addition of smoke. Again he tried to wriggle3 upward, but found that the heat and the fumes34 from the other shaft were too much for him. He eased down again to the comparative security of the staple. If he could manage to stand on that last staple, he might somehow get past the vomiting35 side vent36. But even if the chimney narrowed above the other shaft, the smoke would be suffocating37.
“Buck up, sir!” Bill’s voice sounded thick and weary. “What’s the trouble?”
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Sanborn told him. “Guess we’ll have to go down,” he began, then stopped as the sound of splintering wood reached their ears from the library, and a crash. A moment later there was a rush of feet and a cry as Fanely discovered that their prisoners were missing. There was further scurrying38, then that high, menacing voice.
“The chimney! That’s where they are!”
A moment’s silence, then the sound of a shot reverberated39 deafeningly up the shaft. The chimney immediately filled with particles of soot scattered40 by the percussion41. Both Bill and the detective mentally blessed that change in the angle of the chimney.
“Ah!—” again that hideous42 voice,—“I have an inspiration—yes, an inspiration. We shall—er—relight the fire!”
Sanborn swore under his breath.
“Yes, yes, relight the fire. And I think a little gasoline is indicated. Lambert, you are well enough to phone the garage for a can or two? Jacques, go fetch some paper and wood. No, wait a moment. Shovels43 can be used, there is one on the hearth—to transport the fire from the dining room fireplace. Peter, you stand here and shoot them if they come down.”
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For several minutes Bill and Sanborn clung to their precarious44 perches45, each wracking his brain for a way out of this horrible snare46.
“Listen!” cried Bill in a hoarse47 whisper. “Hold on tight. I’m going to climb up your body. Then I’ll get a foot on the top of the other shaft and haul you up. I can get on your shoulders again and get a grip on the top of the chimney. You can climb out and haul me after you. What do you think?”
“It’s a chance, Bill. And if we don’t smother48 in the attempt, it’s worth trying, anyway. Come ahead.”
Bill pulled himself upward and over Sanborn’s body until he stood on the detective’s broad shoulders. Then he gasped in astonishment49. The heat and smoke from the other chimney had subsided50 and the air was now bearable. The explanation came like a flash. This must be the outlet51 from the dining room, from which the fire had been removed. There was not a moment to lose.
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Dropping his legs into the dining room shaft, he lay bellywise across the junction52 of the two openings and reached down toward Sanborn.
“Hurry up, old sport,” he cried, gripping the detective’s extended hands. “That’s right—up you come!”
“But what—the smoke’s gone—”
“Never mind that now—drop down this shaft beside me. It’s narrow enough to brace29 with your back and legs. And make it snappy, too, or you’ll get singed53.”
Ashton Sanborn swung back beside Bill. There was a subdued54 roar down the chimney. Then a sheet of flame shot upward.
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1
gust
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| n.阵风，突然一阵（雨、烟等），（感情的）迸发 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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wriggle
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| v./n.蠕动，扭动；蜿蜒 | |
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wriggled
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| v.扭动，蠕动，蜿蜒行进( wriggle的过去式和过去分词 )；（使身体某一部位）扭动；耍滑不做，逃避（应做的事等） | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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6
tapered
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| adj. 锥形的，尖削的，楔形的，渐缩的，斜的 动词taper的过去式和过去分词 | |
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7
staple
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| n.主要产物，常用品，主要要素，原料，订书钉，钩环；adj.主要的，重要的；vt.分类 | |
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8
staples
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| n.（某国的）主要产品( staple的名词复数 )；钉书钉；U 形钉；主要部份v.用钉书钉钉住( staple的第三人称单数 ) | |
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9
rusty
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| adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的 | |
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soot
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| n.煤烟，烟尘；vt.熏以煤烟 | |
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11
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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12
shovel
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| n.铁锨，铲子，一铲之量；v.铲，铲出 | |
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13
hearth
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| n.壁炉炉床，壁炉地面 | |
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14
scuttle
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| v.急赶，疾走，逃避；n.天窗；舷窗 | |
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15
tongs
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| n.钳；夹子 | |
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16
enchantment
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| n.迷惑，妖术，魅力 | |
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17
streaked
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| adj.有条斑纹的，不安的v.快速移动( streak的过去式和过去分词 )；使布满条纹 | |
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18
perspiration
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| n.汗水；出汗 | |
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19
winked
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| v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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20
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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21
simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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22
tinkle
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| vi.叮当作响；n.叮当声 | |
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23
gee
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| n.马；int.向右！前进！，惊讶时所发声音；v.向右转 | |
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24
ascent
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| n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高 | |
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stifling
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| a.令人窒息的 | |
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26
enveloped
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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27
draught
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| n.拉，牵引，拖；一网（饮，吸，阵)；顿服药量，通风；v.起草，设计 | |
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28
braced
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| adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
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29
brace
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| n. 支柱,曲柄,大括号; v. 绷紧,顶住,(为困难或坏事)做准备 | |
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30
belching
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| n. 喷出，打嗝 动词belch的现在分词形式 | |
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31
shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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32
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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33
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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34
fumes
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| n.(强烈而刺激的)气味，气体 | |
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vomiting
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| 吐 | |
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36
vent
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| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
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37
suffocating
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| a.使人窒息的 | |
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38
scurrying
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| v.急匆匆地走( scurry的现在分词 ) | |
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39
reverberated
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| 回响，回荡( reverberate的过去式和过去分词 )； 使反响，使回荡，使反射 | |
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40
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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41
percussion
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| n.打击乐器；冲突，撞击；震动，音响 | |
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42
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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43
shovels
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| n.铲子( shovel的名词复数 )；锹；推土机、挖土机等的)铲；铲形部份v.铲子( shovel的第三人称单数 )；锹；推土机、挖土机等的)铲；铲形部份 | |
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44
precarious
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| adj.不安定的，靠不住的；根据不足的 | |
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45
perches
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| 栖息处( perch的名词复数 )； 栖枝； 高处； 鲈鱼 | |
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46
snare
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| n.陷阱，诱惑，圈套；（去除息肉或者肿瘤的）勒除器；响弦，小军鼓；vt.以陷阱捕获，诱惑 | |
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47
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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48
smother
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| vt./vi.使窒息；抑制；闷死；n.浓烟；窒息 | |
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49
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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50
subsided
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| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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51
outlet
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| n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄 | |
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52
junction
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| n.连接，接合；交叉点，接合处，枢纽站 | |
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53
singed
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| v.浅表烧焦( singe的过去式和过去分词 )；（毛发）燎，烧焦尖端[边儿] | |
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54
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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