Pushing it open wide before him Don stepped into the large dormitory.
18. Don Meets the Colonel
Don stepped into the room, his eyes and nerves alert for whatever emergency which might arise. He found himself facing a short and slightly stout man, who was standing beside an easy chair, a newspaper in his hand and a curved pipe in his mouth. The pipe seemed to have gone out and the man was staring toward Don intently.
The room was furnished with a bed, a table upon which rested a few books, and a large armchair. An iron stove took up one corner of the room, and a fire had been lighted and was crackling in it. Two small high windows gave light in the room, and the windows had been heavily barred. Don took in the room in a sweeping glance and looked once more at the man.
An expression of mingled relief and anxiety was on the man’s face and he stepped forward, dropping his paper.
“Who are you, boy?” he asked, his voice slightly hoarse. “What are you doing here?”
“Are—are you Colonel Morrell?” gasped Don, a flash of inspiration sweeping over him.
“Yes!” replied the man, eagerly. “Have you come to rescue me at last? Is the story out?”
“I’m sorry to say that I may not be able to help you much, colonel,” returned Don, closing the door behind him. He looked searchingly at the colonel, the subject of so much thought and conjecture for the last two months. “I’m a prisoner here myself, and I just escaped from a room on the second floor. I guess I stumbled on their game and they took me in, too.”
“Just the same, I’m very glad to see you,” cried the colonel, seizing his hands. “What is your name, my boy?”