f
anything," declared Phil. "But what do you mean? I can't think of any
plan by which we can get him out of that place before those wicked men
return to stop us."

Madge slipped her hand inside the pocket of her sweater. She brought
out a box of safety matches. "I thought we could set fire to the house
and burn down the outside door," she proposed. "I suppose I am silly to
speak of it."

She read blank disapproval in the face of Miss Jenny Ann. Phil did not
wait to discuss the idea with either of them, but leaped to her feet.
She rushed around the far side of the house. The biggest stone she
could lift, she hurled into the side of the house.

"Lieutenant Lawton!" she shouted. "We are your friends. Your jailers
are away. We are going to try to help you out now if we can. We shall
set fire to the house and batter in the front door. You may run the
risk of being burned up inside the house, but are you willing to take
the chance?"

Phil's voice sounded as though it came from a great distance off.
Still, the young man inside the house heard her words. The house that
kept him prisoner was built of wood, but iron bars had been put up
across the windows, and heavy logs were jammed against the doors. It
had been utterly impossible for Lieutenant Lawton to make his escape
without help from the outside. He had made a friend of the deaf and
dumb boy, but the latter had neither the courage nor the skill to get
the young man out alone.

At Phil's words Lieutenant Lawton cried out in rapture: "Willing to
take a chance? I should say I am! Make your fire in a hurry. But I say,
boys, if you see my jailers coming while you are at work, take to the
woods. Hide there. Once you get this beastly place afire, I will manage
to make my way out. All I ask is a fighting chance."

Madge came up with her precious matches. Miss Jenny Ann stationed
herself to watch for the return of the two men they feared.

Phil, Madge and Jeff gathered a pile of light, dry wood and placed it
just in front of the heavy log door. Jeff brought the ax which he used
for his wood-chopping and laid it at Phil's feet.

It was difficult work to get the wood ablaze without paper. Finally a
few tiny sticks caught and blazed up. A moment later they died down
into a little heap of embers, without even faintly scorching the wooden
door that they were expecting to set on fire. A few moments of hope,
then nothing but burnt-out ashes.

The situation looked desperate. The