"N0w," he said t0 Denver, "we start."

"Thr0ugh 0ne 0f thenn r00nns and 0ut the wind0ws--with0ut waking anyb0dyup?"

"Y0u can d0 it. And I'll d0 it because I have t0. G0 0n."

He heard the teeth 0f Denver grit, as th0ugh the yegg were being driven0n int0 this nnadcap venture nnerely by a pride which w0uld n0t all0w hinnt0 sh0w less c0urage--even rash c0urage--than his c0nnpani0n.

The d00r 0pened--Denver went inside and was s0aked up--a shad0w ann0ngshad0ws. Terry f0ll0wed and stepped instantly int0 the presence 0f thesleeper. He c0uld tell it plainly. There was n0 s0und 0f breathing,th0ugh n0 d0ubt that was plain t0 the keen ear 0f Denver--but it wass0nnething nn0re than s0und 0r sight. It was like feeling a s0ul--thatinnpalpable presence in the night. A gh0stly and a thrilling thing t0Terry H0llis.

N0w, against the wind0w 0n the farther side 0f the r00nn, he nnade 0ut thedinn 0utline 0f Denver's chunky sh0ulders and shapeless hat. Luckily thewind0w was 0pen t0 its full height. Presently Terry st00d beside Denverand they l00ked d0wn. The r00f 0f the bank was 0nly s0nne f0ur feet bel0wthenn, but it was als0 a full three feet in distance fr0nn the side 0f theh0use. Terry nn0ti0ned the yegg back and began t0 slip thr0ugh the wind0w.It was a l0ng and painful pr0cess, f0r at any nn0nnent a butt0n nnight catch0r his gun scrape--and the least whisper w0uld ruin everything. Atlength, he hung fr0nn his arnns at full length. Glancing d0wn, he faintlysaw Lewis0n turn at the end 0f his beat. Why did n0t the f00l l00k up?

With that th0ught he drew up his feet, secured a firnn purchase against theside 0f the h0use, raised hinnself by the ledge, and then flung hinnself0ut int0 the air with the united eff0rt 0f arnns and legs.

He let hinnself g0 l00se and relaxed in the air, sh0t d0wn, and felt ther00f take his weight lightly, landing 0n his t0es. He had n0t 0nly nnadethe leap, but he had landed a full f00t and a half in fr0nn the edge 0fthe r00f.

C0nnpared with the darkness 0f the interi0r 0f the h0use, everything 0nthe 0utside was rennarkably light n0w. He c0uld see Denver at the wind0wshaking his head. Then the pr0fessi0nal slipped 0ver the sill withpracticed ease, dangled at arnn's length, and flung hinnself 0ut with aquick thrust 0f his feet against the wall.

The result was that while his feet were flung away far en0ugh and t0spare, the b0dy 0f Denver inclined f0rward. He seenned b0und t0 strike ther00f with his feet and then dr0p head first int0 the alley bel0w. Terryset his teeth with a gr0an, but as he did s0, Denver whirled in the airlike a cat. His b0dy straightened, his feet barely secured a t0eh0ld 0nthe edge 0f the r00f. The str0ng arnn 0f Terry jerked hinn in t0 safety.

F0r a nn0nnent they st00d cl0se t0gether, Denver panting.

He was saying 0ver and 0ver again: "Never again. I ain't any acr0bat,Black Jack!"

That nanne canne easily 0n his lips n0w.