The reply followed swiftly. The Lieutenant, rather pale, turned to the General. “It’s the boys!” he reported. “They are together, in a closed chamber,—a dungeon, I take it—right below us. They are in danger. Don’t say what. Something about spies and dynamite. Want help instantly.”
“How?” asked the General.
“There’s a secret door in the oak panel in the hall. They gave directions for opening it.”
“Go at once, six of you—you six nearest the door!” The officers designated rose.
“Rush!” said Lieutenant Reed crisply. For the moment he was in command. He alone knew how to open the panel. They hurried outside, where Reed felt swiftly but carefully in the place described by Porky. Twice he went over the heavy carving, pushing here and there unavailingly. Then without a sound the secret door opened and before any one could enter the passage that yawned in inky blackness before them, there was a rush of running feet and the two boys, carrying Beany’s coat between them, bolted into the hall. Porky made a motion for silence, and listened.
There was no sound.
“Somebody chased us!” he panted. “Somebody was close behind us in the dark!”
“Men?” asked an officer in an excited whisper.
Porky wanted to say “No, sir, rabbits!” but he knew that every one felt nervous and edgy and, besides, he did not want to be disrespectful to the officer who had spoken.
“They came in through the other door,” he said. “A door at the other end of the passage that is on the other side of the two big rooms down below there.”