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there was not a sound； the box was as empty as before。 I gave a
smart tap with the hammer； as Pugh had done。 Then there certainly
was a curious sound。 To my ear； it sounded like the smashing of
glass。 〃I wonder if there is anything fragile inside your precious
puzzle； Pugh； and； if so； if we are shivering it by degrees？〃
II
〃What IS that noise？〃
I lay in bed in that curious condition which is between sleep and
waking。 When； at last； I KNEW that I was awake； I asked myself
what it was that had woke me。 Suddenly I became conscious that
something was making itself audible in the silence of the night。
For some seconds I lay and listened。 Then I sat up in bed。
〃What IS that noise？〃
It was like the tick； tick of some large and unusually clear…toned
clock。 It might have been a clock； had it not been that the sound
was varied； every half dozen ticks or so； by a sort of stifled
screech； such as might have been uttered by some small creature in
an extremity of anguish。 I got out of bed； it was ridiculous to
think of sleep during the continuation of that uncanny shrieking。
I struck a light。 The sound seemed to come from the neighborhood
of my dressing…table。 I went to the dressing…table； the lighted
match in my hand； and； as I did so； my eyes fell on Pugh's
mysterious box。 That same instant there issued； from the bowels of
the box； a more uncomfortable screech than any I had previously
heard。 It took me so completely by surprise that I let the match
fall from my hand to the floor。 The room was in darkness。 I
stood； I will not say trembling； listeningconsidering their
volumeto the EERIEST shrieks I ever heard。 All at once they
ceased。 Then came the tick； tick； tick again。 I struck another
match and lit the gas。
Pugh had left his puzzle box behind him。 We had done all we could；
together； to solve the puzzle。 He had left it behind to see what I
could do with it alone。 So much had it engrossed my attention that
I had even brought it into my bedroom； in order that I might；
before retiring to rest； make a final attempt at the solution of
the mystery。 NOW what possessed the thing？
As I stood； and looked； and listened； one thing began to be clear
to me； that some sort of machinery had been set in motion inside
the box。 How it had been set in motion was another matter。 But
the box had been subjected to so much handling； to such pressing
and such hammering； that it was not strange if； after all； Pugh or
I had unconsciously hit upon the spring which set the whole thing
going。 Possibly the mechanism had got so rusty that it had refused
to act at once。 It had hung fire； and only after some hours had
something or other set the imprisoned motive power free。
But what about the screeching？ Could there be some living creature
concealed within the box？ Was I listening to the cries of some
small animal in agony？ Momentary reflection suggested that the
explanation of the one thing was the explanation of the other。
Rust！there was the mystery。 The same rust which had prevented
the mechanism from acting at once was causing the screeching now。
The uncanny sounds were caused by nothing more nor less than the
want of a drop or two of oil。 Such an explanation would not have
satisfied Pugh； it satisfied me。
Picking up the box； I placed it to my ear。
〃I wonder how long this little performance is going to continue。
And what is going to happen when it is good enough to cease？ I
hope〃an uncomfortable thought occurred to me〃I hope Pugh hasn't
picked up some pleasant little novelty in the way of an infernal
machine。 It would be a first…rate joke if he and I had been
endeavoring to solve the puzzle of how to set it going。〃
I don't mind owning that as this reflection crossed my mind I
replaced Pugh's puzzle on the dressing…table。 The idea did not
commend itself to me at all。 The box evidently contained some
curious mechanism。 It might be more curious than comfortable。
Possibly some agreeable little device in clockwork。 The tick；
tick； tick suggested clockwork which had been planned to go a
certain time； and thenthen； for all I knew； ignite an explosive；
andblow up。 It would be a charming solution to the puzzle if it
were to explode while I stood there； in my nightshirt； looking on。
It is true that the box weighed very little。 Probably； as I have
said； the whole affair would not have turned the scale at a couple
of ounces。 But then its very lightness might have been part of the
ingenious inventor's little game。 There are explosives with which
one can work a very satisfactory amount of damage with considerably
less than a couple of ounces。
While I was hesitatingI own it！whether I had not better immerse
Pugh's puzzle in a can of water； or throw it out of the window； or
call down Bob with a request to at once remove it to his apartment；
both the tick； tick； tick； and the screeching ceased； and all
within the box was still。 If it WAS going to explode； it was now
or never。 Instinctively I moved in the direction of the door。
I waited with a certain sense of anxiety。 I waited in vain。
Nothing happened； not even a renewal of the sound。
〃I wish Pugh had kept his precious puzzle at home。 This sort of
thing tries one's nerves。〃
When I thought that I perceived that nothing seemed likely to
happen； I returned to the neighborhood of the table。 I looked at
the box askance。 I took it up gingerly。 Something might go off at
any moment for all I knew。 It would be too much of a joke if
Pugh's precious puzzle exploded in my hand。 I shook it doubtfully；
nothing rattled。 I held it to my ear。 There was not a sound。
What had taken place？ Had the clockwork run down； and was the
machine arranged with such a diabolical ingenuity that a certain
interval was required； after the clockwork had run down； before an
explosion could occur？ Or had rust caused the mechanism to again
hang fire？
〃After making all that commotion the thing might at least come
open。〃 I banged the box viciously against the corner of the table。
I felt that I would almost rather that an explosion should take
place than that nothing should occur。 One does not care to be
disturbed from one's sound slumber in the small hours of the
morning for a trifle。
〃I've half a mind to get a hammer； and try； as they say in the
cookery books； another way。〃
Unfortunately I had promised Pugh to abstain from using force。 I
might have shivered the box open with my hammer； and then explained
that it had fallen； or got trod upon； or sat upon； or something；
and so got shattered； only I was afraid that Pugh would not believe
me。 The man is himself such an untruthful man that he is in a
chronic state of suspicion about the truthfulness of others。
〃Well； if you're not going to blow up； or open； or something； I'll
say good night。〃
I gave the box a final rap with my knuckles and a final sha