kled Jack, in spite of the seriousness of their
predicament. "Where there's fire there's light, and I can't see a
single ray of light in this miserable place!"

"Hush, Jack!" cautioned Harry. "Not so loud or they'll find us. Can't
you hear them tramping about in the room above?"

Harry's question brought Ned and Jack to a realization of the fact that
the room they had so recently quitted was occupied by the soldiers from
whom they had tried to escape. Footsteps echoed along the stout floor,
and the boys could hear sounds indicating that pieces of furniture were
being hurriedly overturned.

"Uh!" grunted Jack as he suddenly bumped into Ned. "Wonder you
wouldn't blow signals when you're going to cross ahead of a fellow."

"Hush!" whispered Ned. "They may hear us! Let's wait a bit!"

All three boys drew close together. They instinctively clasped hands
in the darkness, looking for some degree of comfort in the act.

The noises above them gradually lessened. Presently they ceased
altogether, and the boys could hear footsteps clattering along the
floor in the direction they assumed the door to be. Directly quiet
reigned in the place.

"They've gone, I guess," Ned said after a moment's wait. "Now what
shall we do? Shall we climb back into the house?"

"I move that we explore this apartment first," said Jack.

"Oh, no!" urged Harry. "This isn't a nice place to go poking around
in. We have troubles enough already without hunting more."

"What's your objection to looking the place over?" asked Ned.

"Rats!" was Harry's brief but expressive explanation.

"Rats?" queried Ned. "What do you mean? Are there rats here?"

"There certainly are, and lots of them," was the positive answer.
"When I dropped into this place I think I dropped onto one, and must
have crushed him before he had time to squeal. I heard others running."

"We really ought to make a light," returned Ned. "We can't tell what
the place is like without some way of seeing it."

"There's a light!" was Jack's sudden exclamation. "See it over there
to the right. Why," he added, "there are two lights!"

"And I see others!" cried Harry. "I believe it's the eyes of the rats.
Perhaps they were frightened away and are coming back."

"Have you any matches?" asked Ned. "I haven't a one with me. It's
careless, I know, but not a match can I find in my pockets."

"Where's your searchlight?" inquired Jack. "Haven't you that?"

"No; the Germ