Just as the door yielded to the assault an excited voice in Spanish exclaimed:
"This way—-quick!"
The two sailors, who had been ordered to do nothing else except guard the rear windows, saw a figure vanish through the cellar doorway. Leaving that individual to others, Stone and Boot dashed into a rear room, throwing up the window.
In the darkness a second man also rushed for the cellar doorway. But Dave Darrin's extended right hand closed on that party's collar.
"You're my prisoner," Dave hissed, throwing his man backward to the floor.
As several men rushed past them one sailor halted, throwing on the rays of a pocket electric light.
"You, Cantor, and here?" exclaimed Lieutenant Trent, aghast, as he recognized the features of his brother officer. "In mercy's name——-"
"Let me up," broke in Cantor, angrily, and Dave released him. "Ensign Darrin, I order you in arrest for attacking your superior officer."
"You won't observe that arrest, Darrin," spoke Trent, coldly.
"I'll be responsible for my order to that effect. Now, then,
Cantor, what explanation have you to offer for being in the house
of Cosetta, the bandit?"
"I'll give no explanation here," blazed Cantor, angrily, as now on his feet, he glared at Trent and Darrin—-Dalzell was not there, for just at this instant the bolted cellar door, under his orders, was battered down, and Dan, with several sailormen at his back, darted down the stairs, by the light of a pocket lamp.