Part 18 (2/2)

”Murder Save me”

Bob raised hiood aim at the hole, and let drive with a chunk of broken brick There was a crack, a howl of anguish, succeeded by an outbreak of curses, as, following Bob's example, his companions also poured in a fire of brickbats fro out, but, as all again had thrown theround, the bullets sped harain let drive with a piece of brick That his aiuish, succeeded this ti sound of retreat Evidently, the one or two h, and had withdrawn into the tunnel

By holding their breath and listening intently, they could, in fact, hear sounds of scuffling that indicated a considerable nu backward on each other to get away froer zone

Suddenly to Bob's ears caroan, not a foot froe of the hole, straining to listen It startled him, but at once he realized whence it came One of the pursuers, perhaps the man who had stumbled first into their barricade,to Then Bob had a wild idea

Rising to his knees, he peered down into the hole, descried a dark, round object just below hi hied the other into the hole

Then, while Frank gasped and To adhty tug pulled an inert body clear through the hole One look at the face was sufficient for identification despite the blood streaht te He was recovering consciousness

”Quick, so his hold of the body, and holding the fellow up as a fisherman lifts up his catch to ad to obey, being the nearest Running his hands up and down the man's body, he wasbulky at the belt It was a revolver in a holster Stripping off the weapon, he once more ran his hands over the fellow's body and, in a trousers' pocket, found a handful of bullets, which he abstracted

Mike now began to squirasped Bob

”Yes,” said Frank ”Searched him twice”

”Then back with you, Mister Mike,” said Bob, dropping the other back into the hole ”We want no prisoners on our hands And, listen,” he added, ”we've got your revolver Just tell that to your friends if they get inquisitive and want to follow us”

A curse was his answer Then they could hear Mike start to scrah the tunnel, and to call to his mates

”My boy,” said Captain Folsom, ”I want to tell you that was one of the quickest bits of work I've ever seen You certainly have put a different complexion on matters”

”Oh, that was just a bit of luck,” said Bob ”When I heard hiroan, it came to me all in a flash what to do”

”Look here,” interrupted Frank, ”thanks to Bob, we have stalled off pursuit Besides, we have a revolver now I don't feel like running off and leaving Jack The way things have turned out, we can get aithout being discovered, anyhow, so ouldn't be drawing anybody away froo in the opposite direction Let's run for it before they get a chance to circle back through the tunnel and house, but head for the radio station instead of hoht,” said Captain Folsom ”You chaps certainly kno to use your heads Coh the trees in the direction taken by Jack a few short one far, however, before another volley of revolver shots broke out behind theain,” said Captain Folso to listen

”They h they will be cautious, it won't be long before they come out of the tunnel”

”Yes,” said Frank, ”and so down from the house”

For, as he spoke, froan to fly

The party fro as they came

”I don't think they've seen us yet,” said Bob ”The moon is pretty lon and these trees are thick Anyhow, they wouldn't expect us to take this course, as it is away from our ho out, as they neared the clearing in which the radio station was located Dashi+ng ahead, they cleared the last of the trees and started across the clearing As they drew nearer the station, heading for the doorhere the outward-swinging door stood open, Jack saw the four figures in theup from the seat by the instru at top speed as he hit the sand, he started in the opposite direction Bob, however, had an advantage Jack did not possess He was looking for Jack at the station, and was quick to recognize the fa his friends here, naturally considered the approaching figures those of solers

”Hey, Jack, it's us,” Bob called