-save you in the
wonderful airship of Tom Swift! Come quickly and we will take you away!
Peter Petrofsky!"

For a moment there was silence, and then the sound of some one running
rapidly was borne to the ears of the waiting ones. It was followed, a
moment later, by angry shouts from the guards.

"Quick! Quick, Peter!" cried the brother, "over this way!"

For an instant only the exile showed a single electric flash light,
that his brother might see in which direction to run. The echo of the
approaching footsteps came nearer, the shouts of the guards redoubled,
and then came the sound of many men running in pursuit.

"Hurry, Peter, hurry!" cried Mr. Petrofsky, and, as he spoke in Russian
the guards, of course, understood.

Suddenly a rifle shot rang out, but the weapon seemed to have been
fired in the air. A moment later a dark figure clambered aboard the
airship.

"Peter, is it you?" cried Ivan Petrofsky, hoarsely.

"Yes, brother! But get away quickly or the whole guard will be swarming
about here!"

"Praise the dear Lord you are saved!"

"Is it all right?" cried Tom, who wanted to make sure they were saving
the right man.

"Yes! Yes, Tom! Go quickly!" called Ivan Petrofsky, as he folded his
brother in his arms. A moment later, with a roar, the Falcon shot away
from the earth, while below sounded angry cries, confused shouts and
many orders, for the guards and their officers had never known of such
a daring rescue as this.

CHAPTER XXII

IN THE HURRICANE

There was a volley of shots from the prison guards, and the flashes of
the rifles cut bright slivers of flame in the darkness, but, so rapidly
did the airship go up, veering off on a wide slant, under the skillful
guidance of Tom that the shots did no harm.

"Bless my bullet pouch!" cried Mr. Damon. "They must be quite excited."

"Shouldn't wonder," calmly observed Ned, as he went to help his chum in
managing the airship. "But it won't do them any good. We've got our
man."

"And right from under their noses, too," added Ivan Petrofsky
exultingly. "This rescue of an exile will go down in the history of
Russia."

The two exile brothers were gazing fondly at each other, for now that
the Falcon was so high, Tom ventured to turn on the lights.

A moment later the three Russians were excitedly conversing, while Tom
and Ned managed the craft, and Mr. Damon, after listening a moment to
the rapid flow of the strange language, which quite fascinat