ainst this door and a big, iron chain fastened
it on the outside. It was indeed a prison cell.

Phyllis dropped down in front of this door and made her second pyre.
This time her own petticoat was used as a burnt offering.

"The front of the house has begun to burn," she explained quietly to
Lieutenant Lawton. She did not mention that a friend had come to his
aid. This was no time for unnecessary explanations.

"All right," the young man answered briefly. "Don't you think you had
better get out pretty soon? The fire will be creeping toward you."

Phil made no reply. She now saw that her second fire was beginning to
catch. She must burn away this inside door, or else Jimmy Lawton would
be caught in a trap. The door was chained and would not be easy to
break down.

Phyllis Alden had acquired one habit of a boy during her brief life in
the woods. She always carried her pocket knife with her. To-day she was
grateful for the habit. There was a small crack between two of the
thick boards of the door. While she waited for her fire to burn Phil
whittled at this slit, until the opening was large enough to slip the
knife through.

"Make the opening as large as you can," she suggested to the prisoner.

For the first time during his weeks of imprisonment Jimmy Lawton had
something with which to work for his freedom. He cut furiously at the
door, while Phil continued to fan the fire toward it with her skirt.
Both of them forgot, for the moment, what might be taking place on the
outside of the house. They were intent only on demolishing the hateful
door behind which Lieutenant Lawton had been forced to remain so long.

CHAPTER XX

THE RECOGNITION

Madge had kept guard before the flaming door, with Jeff dancing about
her, making frenzied gestures of excitement. Miss Jenny Ann had been
torn between the necessity for watching for the approach of their foes,
and at the same time seeing what Phyllis was doing inside the burning
building. She darted from one place to the other, fairly beside herself
with anxiety.

But there was little work for Madge to do now, except to watch and wait
for Phyllis. The little captain was growing worried. The flames, that
had been so long in catching, were now spreading across the entire
front of the house.

"Come out, Phil!" she called. "You must not stay in the house any
longer, you have done all you possibly can." She crept as near to the
house as she could. The heat was scorching.