er dust。
〃Help me；〃 he muttered。 〃Tony； help me。〃
And suddenly he became aware that the hotel had grown deathly silent。 The
whining sound of the motor had stopped
（must not have been real）
and the sounds of the party had stopped and there was only the wind； howling
and whooping endlessly。
The elevator whirred into sudden life。
It was ing up。
And Danny knew who — what — was in it。
He bolted to his feet； eyes staring wildly。 Panic clutched around his heart。
Why had Tony sent him to the third floor？ He was trapped up here。 All the doors
were locked。
The attic！
There was an attic； he knew。 He had e up here with daddy the day he had
salted the rattraps around up there。 He hadn't allowed Danny to e up with him
because of the rats。 He was afraid Danny might be bitten。 But the trapdoor which
led to the attic was set into the ceiling of the last short corridor in this
wing。 There was a pole leaning against the wall。 Daddy had pushed the trapdoor
open with the pole； there had been a ratcheting whir of counterweights as the
door went up and a ladder had swung down。 If he could get up there and pull the
ladder after him 。。。
Somewhere in the maze of corridors behind him； the elevator came to a stop。
There was a metallic； rattling crash as the gate was thrown back。 And then a
voice — not in his head now but terribly real — called out： 〃Danny？ Danny； e here
a minute； will you？ You've done something wrong and I want you to e and take
your medicine like a man。 Danny？ Danny！〃
Obedience was so strongly ingrained in him that he actually took two automatic
steps toward the sound of that voice befor