He did not act as on the previous occasion, but hid himself carefully away in a corner, among the numerous heavy cases that covered the floor. Here he awaited developments.
The hours slipped by and found Will resolutely awake. Sleep did visit his eyelids once or twice, but could not remain long with such a pressing weight upon his mind. After a hard fight, which lasted till late in the night, sleep was getting the best of him, and he was gradually sinking into a deeper oblivion than before, when he was suddenly and fully awakened by a peculiar noise.
With all his senses on the alert, he listened attentively. It was the sound of muffled steps, and low, cautious voices. A faint light struck through the lines of boxes and reached his covert eye.
There seemed to be two or three persons besides himself. They were evidently acting carefully, but hastily. The low, shuffling steps were incessant.
This lasted for fifteen or twenty minutes, during which time Will did not risk raising his head above the boxes.
At the end of this time the light receded, and the steps seemed to be going from him. The youthful spy rose, and cautiously followed, taking care that not a sound should arise from his movement.
The light was turned from him, and he advanced in almost total darkness. It glimmered on the head of the sub-cellar stairs, where stood, sharply defined, the forms of two men.
Will could scarcely repress a chuckle of triumph, as his quick eye recognized both these men.
Step by step he pursued the men, down the stairs, into the sub-cellar. There were three of them now. They were gathered in the corner of the cellar where the fragment of letter had been found.
The light faintly shone on several bundles of goods which they were handling.
But what was this? The goods had disappeared! One--two--of the men were gone. Only the third remained.
Will pushed more boldly forward. He had seen a man disappear in almost the same spot on the former occasion of his cellar adventure. He was determined not to be foiled now.
The light had gone. Only a faint glimmer remained. This, too disappeared for a moment, and Will drew within a few feet of the mysterious spot.
The light again shone, and at a flash the secret lay revealed before him. It shone from the neighboring cellar, through a hole quite large enough for a man to pass through.