Part 5 (2/2)
Luke was right, as a brief examination proved Then the boy turned to the , an affair less than a foot square, having over it several iron bars set firhfare there,” was his comment
The two next examined the floor, to find it of brick, and as solid as the walls ”Only the ceilin' left now,” said Luke ”I reckon we it out, uard outside will shoot us down”
But Larry was deter, which was but a couple of feet over their heads So he had his companion hold him for that purpose
”There is a loose board up there,” he cried, as he was feeling his way along ”Hold her, Luke, and perhaps I can shove it up”
The old sailor did as requested, and with a strong push Larry shi+fted one end of the plank above, so that it left an opening ten inches wide and several feet long Catching a good hold he pulled himself to the apartment above, to find it stored with boxes and barrels containing old military uniforms and other army equipments, relics of Spanish rule
”Any way out up thar?” queried Luke ”If there is, we don't want to waste any time, ye know”
”I'll tell you in a minute,” replied Larry, in a low voice, and ran first to one endof the storeroo with soldiers In the rear was a stable which just now seemed deserted The several s of the storeroom were all barred, but here the bars were screwed fast to wood instead of being set in stone
”I think there is a chance here,” said the boy, coive me your hand, and I'll help you up,” and he bent down; and soon Luke stood beside hiit out thet way, eh!” said the Yankee tar, surveying the prospect in the rear ”Well, I reckon it's worth workin' for, Larry But the drop from the , even if we pull away the bars--”
”Here is a rope--we can use that,” answered the boy, pointing out the article around several small boxes While Luke pried away the bars of one of the rear s he possessed himself of the rope, and tied it fast to a bar which was not disturbed As soon as the opening was sufficiently large to ad himself over the -sill
”Coone down a shi+p's rope quicker, and never had Larry followed his friend with such alacrity Both felt that life or death depended upon the rapidity of their round was hardly touched by Luke when a Filipino boy appeared at the entrance to the stable For an instant the youth stared in opened-mouthed astonishment, then he uttered a yell that would have done credit to an Indian on the war-path
”The jig's up!” cried the Yankee tar ”Coot to save us, if we're to be saved at all”
He leaped across the yard and for the corner of the stable, where he collided with a Tagal soldier, as co uard; but the rebel got the worse of it, for he lay half stunned, while Luke was up in a trice As the soldier fell, his gun flew froh to pick the weapon up
Behind the stable was a narroinding street, lined on either side with huts and other native dwellings, with here and there a barnlike warehouse Into this street darted our two friends, and there paused, not knohether to move toward the wharves or in the opposite direction
”Look out!” suddenly yelled Larry, and dropped flat, followed by the Yankee tar A sharp report rang out, and a bullet whistled over their heads, co from the prison yard On the instant Larry fired in return, and the prison guard disappeared as if by al in the arhout the prison, and the two escaped prisoners felt that any other locality would be better for them than the one they now occupied ”Let us try to find our soldiers,” said Luke, and once again they started to run, this time up the road where, far away, they could make out a forest of some sort
Then caered back, hit in the shoulder
”Luke! Luke, you are struck!” gasped Larry His heart seemed to leap into his throat What if his dearest friend had been mortally wounded?
”I--I--reckon it--it ain't htened hiain ”They are after us hot-like, ain't they?”
A turn in the road soon took theht of the prison, and they breathed a bitto tell upon Luke, and watching hi deathly pale
”You can't keep this up, Luke,” he said, and put out his arave a short groan, threw up both hands, and then sank down in a heap at the boy's feet
CHAPTER VII
THE RETREAT TO THE RICE-HOUSE
Larry was greatly alar but that his companion was about to die on his hands Quickly he knelt at the Yankee's side, to learn that Luke had fainted away from loss of blood The shoulder of his shi+rt and jacket were saturated through and through