He laid the revolver down on the little table by the sofa, then hurried off. They heard the front door bang behind him.

The house seemed very still now. The two girls stayed motionless by Bill. Bundle still kept her finger on his pulse. It seemed to be beating very fast and irregularly.

“I wish we could do something,” she whispered to Loraine. “This is awful.”

Loraine nodded.

“I know. It seems ages since Jimmy went and yet it’s only a minute and a half.”

“I keep hearing things,” said Bundle.

“Footsteps and boards creaking upstairs⁠—and yet I know it’s only imagination.”

“I wonder why Jimmy left us the revolver,” said Loraine. “There can’t really be danger.”