When she dared to peep out through the crack a second time, she saw that two other men had come into the room. From their appearance she knew that they must be members of the robber gang. The first man seemed to be their leader, for he proceeded to issue orders.
“Get a move on!” he growled. “We haven’t got all day unless we want to be caught. Take that dresser out of here first.”
The two men lifted the heavy piece of furniture and started with it to the door. But they did not move swiftly enough to satisfy the leader, and he berated them savagely.
“If you were in such a hurry why didn’t you back the van up to the door instead of leaving it hidden in the bushes?” one of the men retorted angrily.
“Yes, and have someone see us from the road!” sneered the leader.
“Well, carry this out yourself if you think it’s so light!”
From her hiding place, Nancy Drew watched the men as they deliberately stripped the room of everything valuable. Piece by piece they carried out the furniture, but the girl was given no opportunity to escape, for the leader of the gang remained in the room while the others made the trip to the van.
“Well, I guess we have everything now,” the leader muttered at last.
He turned to follow his companions, who already had gone to the truck, but in the doorway paused for a last careful survey of the room.
At that fateful moment there came a muffled sneeze from the closet.
The robber wheeled about. Walking directly to the closet, he flung open the door and exposed poor Nancy, who was crouching in the far corner. Angrily, he jerked her out.