There was a noise behind her, and Phyllis felt a man's hand grope for hers. He pulled her quickly to her feet. "Close your eyes and keep your mouth shut," he ordered. "We will both be out of this in a moment."
In one place the smoke was less dense and a faint breath of air penetrated the room. Phil felt herself lifted off her feet and thrust through this opening almost into Madge's arms. Her skirt was on fire, but Madge had beaten out the flames before Jimmy Lawton joined them.
Even now the young man did not recognize his rescuers. He was dazed, weak from his long confinement, and only anxious to be off.
"Let's get away from this place!" he cried. Blindly he reached out for Phil's hand the second time. Madge seized hold of Miss Jenny Ann. They started toward the thick woods on a run, forgetting their friend, Jeff. So far they had not been interrupted by the men they feared.
"Look ahead!" called out Madge sharply under her breath. Her quick ears had caught the sound of footsteps approaching.
"Hide in the thicket," Jimmy commanded. He pulled Phil down behind a fallen log. Madge and Miss Jenny Ann crouched behind some thick bushes. They waited in absolute silence.
Now, for the first time, Lieutenant James Mandeville Lawton opened his eyes and surveyed his deliverer!
He stared and blinked, and stared and blinked again, until Phil wanted to laugh aloud in spite of their danger, the young man's expression was so ludicrous.
"Great Scott!" he muttered. "I never dreamed my rescuers were girls."
Phil put a warning finger on her lips.