San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-10-24

ana threw hlmselr carelessiy az their
side. WANT to escape" he whispered,
swami to leave vessel, hide in woods,
go back to Russian"
"What doyou mean?" asked Maurice
sharply.
"Hushr' said the Russian. "Don't
talk. don't say word. Do you want to
go?''
"Yes, replied Maurice incautiously,
"of course we want to go. But tell me,
Grodno, what do you mean?
''Hush; not now" replied Grodno,
and slipping off in the gloom he disap-
peared, leaving the boys in state of
great excitement
"I'd like to know what he means,
said Maurice. 81 don't see how escape
can be possible from place like this. "
cts a plot of some kind, =" replied
Phil. "That's what Grodno and Hamid
have been discussing for the last week
I don't like the looks of either of those
fellows, Maurice, and in a matter of
escape am afraid they would only use
us to serve their own ends"
81 believe all that, rejoined Maui
rice, "but chance of escape is not to
be neglected under any circumstances,
Phil. If only we could find some influ
| entail person to listen to our story, he
might be induced to investigate it and
prove our innocence. If we escape and
are recaptured, it will hardly make our
position worse than it is now. But
what became of Grodno? Did you see?''
emo; he and Hamid have disappear
ed, replied Phil.
81 saw them going toward the hatch
way moment ago."
The twilight had now merged into
darkness, and the dim outline of the
shores had vanished. A slight breeze
sprang up, and the prisoners pressed
close against the grating to enjoy its
invigorating effect.
'Hamid can't be very far away"
said Phil suddenly. 81 can smell that
villainous pipe of his plainly. Don't
you notice it?''
81 can smell something" said
Maurice, Shut don't believe it's Ham
ids pipe. 1t seems very different kind
of odor."
An armed soldier strolled slowly past
the grating at that moment, and the
conversation closed.
As soon as he was gone Maurice be-
gan to sniff the air uneasily.
''That's not tobacco smoke, Phil"
he said finally. 81 half believe some
thing is burning. The odor is getting
stronger every instant"
Before Phil could reply a sudden
commotion was heard behind them, and
turning quickly the boys saw confused
mass of convicts struggling up the
hatchway, their dark forms outlined
against dull red glow.
Then the silence was broken by
sharp cry Of Fire! Fire! Firer' and
instantly an uproar arose that made the
boys hair fairly stand on end.
Shrieking, swearing and shouting, the
panic stricken wretches surged up the
| hatChway and flung themselves against
the grating until it trembled and creak-
ed. The guards ran up and down the
deck, the officers shouted fiercely, and
through the open hatchway the angry
flames were already visible. "We'll be
burned alive" cried Maurice, and he
tore desperately at the grating. The
hatchway was now one mass of flames,
volumes of smoke were pouring out,
and the deck planks were getting hot.
Suddenly shrill whistle was heard
from the steamer, and then the barge
seemed to lie motionless ON the water.
The guards, apparently stupefied at
this appalling calamity, ran helplessly
about the deck, while the officers SEEM
ed to have disappeared.
Maurice and Phil joined with the rest
in their desperate rush against the graf
ing, but as the stout iron refused to
yield and the smoke and heat became
almost uncomfortable they lost all hope
of escaping the flames.
At this moment of despair hand
clutched Maurices arm, and voice
whispered in his ear: Follow me.
Come this way"
Grodno-for it was he-had already
vanished. but the boys turned in the
direction he had taken and fought their
way through the frenzied crowd.
The opposite side of the pen, strange
ly enough, was almost deserted, and
here they found Grodno and Hamid
fumbling at the grating.
''All right" the Russian whispered
triumphantly, and TO their amazement
the boys saw that he had opened one of
the little sliding doors.
He darted quickly through, followed
by Hamid. Maurice, horror stricken at
the thought of abandoning all these
poor wretohes to shocking Heath, was
about to attract general attention to
the open doorway when, with terrific
crash, the entire grating on the opposite
side of the pen gave way before the des-
perate efforts of the mob and toppled
over on the astounded guards.
Come quick" shouted the Russian,
and without further delay the boys
darted out ON the open deck. Not sol.
der was in sight. They were all on the
other side
Grodno had laid his plans well.