trewn with wreckage left by the exploding s

ried Jack excitedly.

ressed excitement, "but it may prove

exclamation. "Hurrah! We may be able

thing but a trap door into the cel

floor and, naturally concluding that it was fitted into a trap door, had begun an investigation for the purpose of discovering if the door led to a passa

to be in that spot. The location of the debris favored the quick plan that had formula

at lay upturned not far from the trap door. Signalling to his comrades for assistance, he

ise the trap door and prop it up with a short piece of wood from the wreckage strewn about. Making the well-known signal used by railroad men in the United S

ung to the rim for a moment with his hand

d cry. Then they prepared to follow just as the tramp of many feet resounded through the passage outside the room. Harry

to drop from his position to the floor below. In reality the drop was not a great one. The distance was, however, greater than the height of any of the thr

ight and began to se

e called softly.

from the darkness that shut the boy

" declared Ned. "Wh

re in a moment," was Harry's answer. "This

ged Ned. "I wonder if we have dropped out

their predicament. "Where there's fire there's light, and

loud or they'll find us. Can't you hear

itted was occupied by the soldiers from whom they had tried to escape. Footsteps echoed along the stout

to Ned. "Wonder you wouldn't blow signals w

d. "They may hear us

tinctively clasped hands in the darkness, lo

r, and the boys could hear footsteps clattering along the floor in the di

r a moment's wait. "Now what shall we

lore this apartment

place to go poking around in. We have trou

on to looking the pl

's brief but expr

"What do you mean?

hen I dropped into this place I think I dropped onto one, and must h

rned Ned. "We can't tell what the place

lamation. "See it over there to the righ

e it's the eyes of the rats. Perhaps they

n't a one with me. It's careless, I know,

light?" inquired Jac

that away from me wh

ste them. Perhaps it will be a long time before we get an

ry enough to make a fire with, and t

ded Ned. "The place

bout," put in Harry. "In that way we won't

out, feeling their way cautiously with their feet. They seemed to be

as his foot struck a small object.

t's whittle some sha

he held them ready to receive the flame from Harry's match. All three lads eagerly gathered closer together as Harry prepared to strike the match tha

strike it on your shoe sole. That makes a

he added. "We have only two, you know. If

why I'm trying to be extra careful. I'm

ck, a slight quaver perceptible in his vo

balance yourself," urged Ned. "Make sure

e foot and striking the match upon the s

the light did not come, althoug

his one got wet somehow and won't wo

both," declared Har

r, then?" demande

he box," was Harry's explanation. "I haven't the box, either," h

Ned, "and see if there isn't a scrap of bo

ver no shred or vestige of a box on which to strike the impregnate

ed States by thousands and thousands of people who never think of saving them. We have used a whole lot o

he best of it. It seems peculiar, too," he went on, "that th

t," observed Harry. "Maybe they 're afraid o

at will you make a noise with if you

r good and hard; t

" agreed Jack, suiting

stamping. A crackling sound was heard, followed by

o his knees. "That's just what we wanted. D

are. In a moment it had caught fire. Licking up the curl, the flame gradually leaped from one piece of wood to another until the entire handful was ablaze. The dancing light played upon the three fac

assured, they glanced first at each other, t

aid of fire!" exclaimed Jack, pointing toward

them?" asked H

!" exclaimed Ned. "

od from, I'd like to

th all the dead and wounded soldiers about,"

as quick as we can,"

e lads turned from

demanded a strange vo

d Ned, startled by

," was the answer.