Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-27

5elbiSI am. IiAt SluDDCli Oiu pSdSta nc
cried in English turning to Drummond,
won't answer my questions"
What were you asking him.?
Il want to know about the stock of pro-
visions"
It's quite unnecessary to ask about the
grub; there's sure to be ample
Why
why? Because we have reached the be
ginning of winter, as | said before. There
must be months when no boat can land at
this rock It's bound to be provisioRed for
several months ahead at the very lowest
calculation. Now, the first thing to do is to
put this ancient Johnny in his little cell,
then Ill tell you where our chief danger
lies
The governor made neither protest nor
complaint, but walked into No. 8, and was
locked up.
Now, Johnny, my boy Said Drummond,
our anxiety is the soldiers. The moment
they find they are locked in they will blow
those two doors open i'll just about half
Jlny. We can, of course, by sitting in
front of the lower door night and day, pick
off the first four five who come down,
but if the rest make rush are bound to
be Overpowered. They Nave 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?"
Il propose. said Jack. Ito fill their
crooked stairway with cement There are
bags and bags Of ii in the armory."
The necessity for this was prevented by
an odd circumstance. The two young men
were seated in the governors room, when
at his table 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,"
on. L beg pardon" replied Jack in
whatever imitation of the governors voice
he could assume. I'm 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 COM
ing down. If we get the officers safely
into cell, there will be nobody to COM
mand the men, and IL is more than likely
that the officers carry the keys of the
powder room. III 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 resist
ance'
The two officers came down the circular
stairway; grumbling at the delay to which
they had been put. Lermontoff took ad-
vantage of the clamping Of their heavy
boots in the echoing stairway to shove the
bolts once more, and then followed them.
himself followed by Drummond. into the
governors room. Switching on the cleo
trio light, he said:
Gentlemen, / am Prince Lermontoff. in
temporary charge of this prison The gov
ernor Is under arrest, and I regret that I
must demand your swords, although 1 have
every reason to believe that they will be
handed back to you within a very few
days after l have completed my investiga-
tons"
The officers were too much accustomed
10 sudden changes In command to see any
thing odd in this turn of affairs. Lennon
ton spoke with quiet dignity that was
very convincing and the language he used
was that of the nobility. The two officers
handed him their swords without a word
of protest
Il must ask you whether you have yet
received your winters supply of food
oh, yes said the senior officer, I'VE had
that nearly a month ago.
is 1t stored in the military portion of
the rock or below here?
Our rations are packed away in n room
upstairs"
Il am sorry, gentlemen, that I must put
you into cells until my mission IS accom-
plished II you will write a requistion for
such rations is you are accustomed to re-
ceive, l shall see that you are supplied
Meanwhile, write also an order to whomso-
ever you entrust In command OF the men
during your absence, to grant no one leave
care that each soldier is rigidly restricted
to the minimum quantity of vodka"
The senior officer sat down at the table
and wrote the two orders The men were
then placed in adjoining cells, without the
thought of resistance even occurring to
them. They supposed there had been some
changes at headquarters, and were rather
relieved to have the assurance of the prince
that their arrest would prove temporary.
Further investigation showed that there
would be no danger of starvation for six
months at least
Next day Jack, at great risk of HIS neck
scaled to the apex Of the island as he had
thought of flying, If possible. a signal of
distress that might attract some passing
vessel. But even though he reached the
sharp ridge, he saw at once that no pole
could be erected there, not even If he pos
sessed one. The wind aloft was terrific,
and he gazed around him at an empty sea
fnIr dptrG hod
to look for the Russian relief boat which
they knew would set out the moment the
governors telegram reached ST. Petersburg
On the fifth day Jack shouted down n
Drummond, who was standing by the door
THE Russian is coming: heading direct
for US She's in a hurry. too. crowding on
all steam and eating up the distance like
a torpedo boat destroyer. 7 think It's
cruiser. It's not the olu tub I came on.
anyway"
Come down, then" answered Alan. land
We"
A cry from above interrupted him. lack
having at first glance spied the vessel
whose description he had shouted to Drum
mond had now turned his eyes eastward
and stood staring aghast toward the sun
rise.
Natter" echoed Jack rThey must be
sending the whole Russian navy here In
detachments to capture our unworthy
selves There's a second boat coming from
the east-nearer by two miles than the
yacht If l hadn't been all taken up with
the other from the moment I climbed here
I'd have seen her before.
rs she yacht. too?
mo Looks like a passenger tramp.
Dirty and
Merchantmen. maybe.
NO She's got guns or her
Merchantmen fitted out for prfyateers
man. probably. That's the sort OF craft
Russia would be likeliest to send to a secret
prison like this What flag does
ssNo fag ar all Neither of them THEY'RE
both making for the rock, full steam. and