"Keep quiet a minute, Pop," retorted Grant.

The rain was beating against the windows with renewed force. The storm apparently was at its height. For them to go on in the Black Growler was almost impossible. There was nothing to be done, except to make the best of the conditions in which they now found themselves.

Soon after the withdrawal of their landlady, who had been paid in advance for the use of the rooms, although breakfast was not included as the boys explained they might have to leave the village before sunrise, they prepared for bed. They were thoroughly tired by the new experiences of the past day and in spite of their surroundings and the noise of the men below and of the storm, which still was raging, they decided to retire.

Their rooms did not connect and as George and Grant withdrew, Fred said, "If we need your help in the night, fellows, don't fail to come right away."

"Are you scared, Peewee?" laughed George.

"Yes, I am, and I don't mind saying so," retorted Fred. "I don't like the sound that comes from that room downstairs."

Fred's feelings were not relieved when he found it was impossible to lock the doors. An old fashioned iron latch was the only means by which each door was opened and there were not even bolts or b.u.t.tons by which the door could be fastened.

"I'm going to put a chair against the door," said Fred. "I'm afraid something will happen before morning."

Nor was Fred disappointed, for two hours after the boys were in bed the door of the room which Fred and John occupied was stealthily opened by some one in the hall.

[1] The Go Ahead Boys and the Mysterious Old House.

CHAPTER VII

AN UNWELCOME PARTY

"Who's there? Who's there?" demanded Fred sharply.

The noise in the room below had prevented him from sleeping soundly.

Several times he sat erect in bed, convinced that some one was in the room. Even when his fears proved to be groundless he was unable to ignore the shouts and songs and calls that frequently indicated that the men in the room below were angry. Before he had retired he had obtained a glimpse of the shouting a.s.sembly when a door had been opened and the sight had not soothed his feelings. And now he was positive some one was trying to open the door of their room.

Aroused by the call of his friend, John also quickly sat up and stared about him. There was no mistaking the fact that some one was trying to enter by the door which yielded slightly to the pressure and the chair which had been placed by Fred to protect them had been moved back a few inches from its place.

"Who's there? Who's there?" demanded Fred sharply.

No reply was given to his question although the door slowly was closed again and the sound of the footsteps of some one moving down the hall was plainly heard.

"What do you suppose that was?" demanded Fred in a whisper.

"Somebody was trying to break in," replied John.

"What do you suppose he wanted?"

"He wanted to get in."

"What for?"

"I don't know. You'll have to ask him, I guess," replied John drowsily for by this time he had resumed his place on the pillow.

"I think he wanted our money," suggested Fred.

"He didn't want much then. Maybe he wanted our money and our lives."

"All the same I'm scared. I don't like this place. I don't know why we stopped here. It must be past one o'clock now and yet hear those men yell down there in the bar-room. I'm going to see what time it is."

Fred climbed out of bed and striking a match looked at his watch. "It's quarter past one," he said, but the sound which came from John did not indicate that he was specially interested in the report of the watch.

Fred looked out of the window and saw that the storm long since had pa.s.sed. The air was cool and fresh and had it not been for the uproar in the hotel the night would have been an ideal one.

Before he rejoined his companion Fred replaced the chair so that it barred the opening of the door.

Convinced that he had done all in his power he climbed back into bed once more and in spite of his declaration when daylight came that he had not been asleep John was not convinced.

"Come on, String," said Fred when once more he had looked at his watch to discover the time. "It's five o'clock. It's time for us to be moving. I wouldn't have breakfast in this hole if they paid me for it."

"Why can't you leave a fellow alone and let him sleep? I'm tired. I got left at Poughkeepsie and I had a hard day yesterday too."

"No, sir," said Fred firmly. "This party starts from this place in thirty minutes. Any one who isn't ready will have to come by ca.n.a.l-boat. The Black Growler leaves here at five-thirty sharp."

With a groan John arose and began to dress, although he protested feelingly all the time against the unreasonable demands of Fred.

The other two Go Ahead boys were speedily aroused and twenty minutes later they departed from the hotel.

"It looks worse in the morning than it does at night and we thought that wasn't possible when we came here last evening," said George when the Go Ahead boys looked behind them after their departure.

"I think I will send that landlady a Christmas present of a cake of soap," said Grant soberly.

"She wouldn't know what it was for," laughed John, "if you did."

"My, I would like to hear what my mother would say if she could see the inside of that old tavern."

"The worst thing of all," said Fred, "was the riot in the bar-room. I didn't sleep a wink last night."

"You didn't sound that way, Freddie," said George.

"What time did the noise downstairs stop, Peewee?" inquired John.

"It didn't stop, I guess," laughed Fred. "The landlady said the storm drove all the ca.n.a.l-men into the house, but it didn't seem to me there was anything that drove them out. I shouldn't like to meet one of those men in a dark alley."

"You don't have to meet them," suggested George. "We have lived through the night somehow and are all safe. Now if the Black Growler is ready we are. We'll get our breakfast at Rome, I suppose."

"That's what we will," said Fred, quickening his pace as he spoke.

"Look yonder!" exclaimed John, abruptly halting as he spoke and pointing in surprise at their motor-boat, which was only a few yards distant.

In response to his suggestion the Go Ahead boys all stopped and stared in amazement at the sight before them.

On board the Black Growler were at least a half-dozen men and it required no explanation to enable the boys to understand that they were a part of the noisy a.s.sembly which had made night hideous in the hotel.