This accounted for the presence of the gang in the haunted house and for their knowledge of the underground room.
Bonner's inspiration began to wear off.

Pure luck had aided him up to this stage, but the bearding of David in his lair was another proposition altogether.

His only hope was that he might find the man asleep.

He was not taking the old woman into consideration at all.

Had he but known it, she was the most dangerous of all.
His chance, he thought, lay in strategy.