anner.
Harris looked as if he was overcome with terror.

"There he is," said one of the men, holding up his lantern so the light
fell more plainly on the wretched prisoner.

"Have you come to take me out of here?" cried Harris, in a tone of voice
that gave Frank a chill. "For God's sake, take me out of this place!
I'll go mad if I stay here much longer! It is full of rats! I could not
sleep last night--I dare not close my eyes for a minute! Please--please
take me out of here!"

Then he saw and recognized Frank.

"You?" he screamed. "Have you come here to gloat over me, Frank
Merriwell?"

"No," said Frank; "I have come to see if I can do anything for you."

"Ha! ha! ha!" laughed Harris, in a manner that made Frank believe
madness could not be far away. "You wouldn't do that! I know why you are
here! You have triumphed over me! You wish to see me in all my misery!
Well, look at me! Here I have been thrown into this hellish hole, amid
rats and vermin, ironed like a nigger! Look till you are satisfied! It
will fill your heart with satisfaction! Mock me! Sneer at me! Deride
me!"

"I have no desire to do anything of the sort," declared Frank. "I am
sorry for you, Harris."

"Sorry! Bah! You lie! Why do you tell me that?"

"It is the truth. You brought this on yourself, and so----"

"Don't tell me that again! You have told it enough! If I'd never seen
you, I'd not be here now. You brought it on me, Frank Merriwell. If I
die here in this cursed hole, you'll have something pleasant to think
about! You can laugh over it!"

"You shall not die here, Harris, if I can help it. I'll speak to the
captain about you."

The wretch stared at Merry, his eyes looking sunken and glittering.
Then, all at once, he crouched down there, his chains clanking, covered
his face with his hands and began to cry.

No matter what Harris had done, Frank was deeply pitiful then.

"I shall go directly to the captain," he promised, "and I'll ask him to
have you taken out of this place. I will urge him to have it done."

Harris said nothing.

Frank had seen enough, and he turned away. As they were moving off,
Harris began to scream and call to them, begging them not to leave him
there in the darkness.

Those cries cut through and through Frank Merriwell. He knew he was in
no way responsible for the fate that had befallen the fellow, and yet he
felt that he must do something for Harris.

He kept his word, going directly to the captain.