inning. The watchman-mechanic
of the Hampton radio plant was still a young man. He had served in
France. And he was enjoying the situation.

"Come out now, Temple. And you, Merrick," said Captain Folsom, in a
whisper. "To stay any longer would be only to expose yourselves
needlessly. You have thrown out a lot of ammunition, as it is.
Besides," he added, as he and Tom helped the others climb to the
surface, "we want to kick down this dirt to block the tunnel."

The others followed Tom to the lip of the cave-in, overhanging the
tunnel, and, exercising care to avoid tumbling in, succeeded in
kicking down sufficient earth to more than half fill the opening.
Little more than a foot of open space remained, after uprooted bushes
had been thrown down on top of the earth.

Working feverishly and in a silence broken only by the dull sounds of
the falling dirt, they had completed their task when the nearer
approach of voices and of stumbling footfalls within the tunnel
warned them to desist. Bob and Frank on one side of the slight
opening, Captain Folsom and Tom Barnum on the other, they threw
themselves prone on the ground. The bricks had been divided into two
piles, one by the side of each pair.

They were none too soon. Barely had they taken their positions when
the first man of the pursuers, proceeding without a light, stumbled
against the dirt they had kicked down, and fell forward into the
tangle of uprooted bushes. He let out a wild yell:

"Murder. Save me."

Bob raised himself on one hand, craned forward, took good aim at the
hole, and let drive with a chunk of broken brick. There was a crack, a
howl of anguish, succeeded by an outbreak of curses, as, following
Bob's example, his companions also poured in a fire of brickbats from
each side.

Several scattered revolver shots rang out, but, as all again had
thrown themselves prone on the ground, the bullets sped harmlessly
overhead. After waiting a moment, Bob again let drive with a piece of
brick. That his aim was good was attested by a howl of anguish,
succeeded this time not by more shots but by a scurrying sound of
retreat. Evidently, the one or two men in the forefront had had
enough, and had withdrawn into the tunnel.

By holding their breath and listening intently, they could, in fact,
hear sounds of scuffling that indicated a considerable number of men
were within the tunnel and were moving backward on each other to get
away from the danger zone.

Sudden