If we all go into the house we'll wake my partner, Hazelton, and he has enough work to do in the daytime, without being kept up at night." While the others remained outside Tom stole into the house.

There was a room in the rear, off the kitchen, where Nicolas slept.

Into that room Reade stepped noiselessly.
It was not necessary to strike a match, for, in the very faint light there, Tom espied an object on the foot of the bed that he recognized---one of the Mexican's white canvas shoes.
Tom snatched it up quickly.

Then, despite his steady nerves, he staggered back..