He left the door and stole softly up the stairs to his room, getting his boots and carrying them in his hand.

As before, he intended putting them on at the kitchen door.

But Bob's dog would not betray him this time, for since the other accident he had contrived to persuade Bob to keep the dog outside at night.

Nor would there occur any other accident--he would take care of that.

And so it took him a long time to descend the stairs and make his way to the kitchen door.
Once outside, he drew on his boots and stole silently and swiftly to the front door of the house.
To his astonishment, when he arrived at the door, there was no light, no sound to indicate that anybody was in the room.