“Sh!” cautioned the boy, as he stole forward on his toes.
Snodgrass stepped lightly, but did not hesitate to follow.
The boy opened an old door, and they entered the lower part of the building. There they paused, and the mumbling sound of voices reached them from some place up above.
Still motioning for Snodgrass to be still, the boy led the way to a ladder that led up through a square scuttle-hole above. Up the ladder the lad softly skipped, and Snodgrass followed at his heels. The heart of the college man was thumping heavily in his bosom, for this was more of an adventure than he had counted on when he started out.
“Dey’re at it!” whispered the boy, pausing on the top of the ladder.
He looked to see if his companion showed signs of alarm, but Snodgrass appeared as eager as ever, and the boy slipped off the ladder to the floor of the loft.
Barely had Snodgrass followed when there arose a sudden commotion beyond a dark door that could scarcely be seen in that gloomy, cobwebby place. There was a volley of oaths, a blow, and a fall.
“That’s him!” hissed the boy. “He’s knocked somebody down! Oh, but he’s a holy terror, an’ he’ll be red-hot now! Don’t yer t’ink ye’d better turn round?”
“Den gimme der fifty. I’ve kept my part of der bargain. He’s in dere, so jest walk in.”
Snodgrass gave the boy half a dollar, and, one second later, the youngster went down the ladder like a frightened cat, leaving Ben there alone.
The desperate sophomore shuddered a bit and shrugged his shoulders.
“He’s just the kind of a man I must have!” he thought. “I’d be a fool to back out now! Brace up, Ben, and walk right in. Your reception may not be cordial, but you must set yourself right. It’s to down Merriwell, and I’m ready to face the devil to do that!”
Then he advanced to the door and thrust it open.
The light from one dingy and dirty window shone into the place. Where the light of the window fell on it was a rough table, about which four persons had been sitting. Just now one of them was standing, while another still lay on the floor, having raised himself to his elbow, but without daring to rise. The one on the floor had been knocked down by the one who was standing.
On the table were cards, money, and two bottles of whisky. There were no glasses to drink from. These men drank directly from the bottle.