“I want to look underneath,” Tom replied. A second later his eyes widened as he saw a trap door, evidently leading to a subcellar.
Tom beckoned his partner over and showed his discovery. “Where does this lead to?” the trooper asked, turning back to Latty.
“Just a little storage place,” the owner replied with a shrug. “I didn’t think it was worth mentioning. You’d better not go down there,” he added hastily. “The steps ain’t safe.”
“Just the same, we’ll take a look,” the trooper said.
“Then do it at your own risk!” Latty snapped.
The officer pulled up the trap door and Tom shone a light down. The shallow dirt-walled room
42 THE VISITOR FROM PLANET X
below was about six feet square. On the floor, at the foot of a short rickety ladder, lay a large bundle wrapped in a tarpaulin.
Tom descended the ladder cautiously and opened the tarpaulin to see what was inside. The contents made him gasp-a large, well-oiled collection of rifles and pistols!
Looking up, Tom saw both the state trooper and Latty peering down at him-the trooper openmouthed with surprise, Latty scowling nervously.
“Don’t touch “em!” Latty warned. “Some are loaded. I keep ‘em hidden for safety, but sometimes my nephew Fred here and I have target practice.”
Just then Tom’s keen eyes spotted a slip of paper tucked among the guns.
Me pulled it out. His heart gave a leap of excitement as he saw two words written on the paper-Samson Narko!
Hiding his amazement, Tom read the name aloud and added casually, “What’s this? The make of one of the guns?”