"Well we wanted to avoid some--er--men," blurted Bob.

"Yah--already the police seek you!" triumphed their captor. "Well,they will not have long to seek."

"They were not the police." Betty found her voice and spokeearnestly. "They were reporters, and we didn't want to beinterviewed. We came down the fire escape from the fourth floor, andfound the hall window locked. This window was open, and we crawledin, intending to get out into the hall. That is the absolute truth."

CHAPTER XXIII

AN0THER RESCUE