They have, presumably, plenty of powder, probably some
live shells, petards, and what-not, that will make short work even of
those oaken doors. What do you propose to do?"
"I propose," said Jack, "to fill their crooked stairway with cement.
There are bags and bags of it in the armory."
The necessity for this was prevented by an odd circumstance. The two
young men were seated in the Governor's room, when at his table a
telephone bell rang. Jack had not noticed this instrument, and now
took up the receiver.
"Hello, Governor," said a voice, "your fool of a gaoler has bolted the
stairway door, and we can't open it."
"Oh, I beg pardon," replied Jack, in whatever imitation of the
Governor's voice he could assume. "I'll see to it at once myself."
He hung up the receiver and told his comrade what had happened.
"One or both of these officers are coming down. If we get the officers
safely into a cell, there will be nobody to command the men, and it is
more than likely that the officers carry the keys of the powder room.
I'll turn out the electric lamps in the hall, and light the lantern.
You be ready at the foot of the stairway to fire if they make the
slightest resistance."
The two officers came down the circular stairway, grumbling at the
delay to which they had been put. Lermontoff took advantage of the
clamping of their heavy boots in the echoing stairway to shove in the
bolts once more, and then followed them, himself followed by Drummond,
into the Governor's room.
Pages:
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226