His reference to blowing away the lock had not been lost on Hal,
but the lad had already thought of that.
"Well," he said to himself, "the sooner I act the better. If Duval has
left the house already I shall have but one to deal with. If I wait until
I am sure he has gone, I shall probably be drowned. Here goes!"
Quickly he produced his pair of automatics, and, running his hand over
the door, found the lock. He placed the muzzle of one automatic right up
against it, and holding the other in his other hand, ready for instant
use should he encounter a foe on the opposite side, fired.
In the narrow room the shot sounded like an explosion of a cannon, and
the force of it shook the lad from head to toe. Smoke filled the little
aperture, strangling him. He pressed his weight against the door. It did
not yield. Something had gone wrong.
Again he placed his revolver against the lock, and fired quickly twice,
and then hurled his weight against the door. It gave way before him, and
the lad staggered from the smoke into the damp but fresher air of the
open cellar.
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