“If you had taken that key, Lathrop,” he concluded, “you could have opened the door easily without battering it down. Poor fellow—Bellman must have caught him coming back here and guessing for what purpose, he killed him.”
“The first thing to do is get you out of these stocks,” said Billy after he had detailed how, on hearing the boys’ shouts, they had traced them to the cellar in which they lay.
“Why not try the key,” suggested Billy, “it looked a pretty big affair to me to fit the lock we found on that door.”
“That’s a good idea,” assented Lathrop. He was up the stairs and back in a very short time and carried with him the key that had been found in the dead man’s hand. It fitted the stocks perfectly and furnished a further proof that the serang had actually been on his way to keep his promise when he was killed.
A twist of it in the heavy padlock and the unfortunate prisoners were at liberty with the exception of their handcuffs. With a cold chisel and hammer Lathrop struck these off. A few minutes later the boys had been helped out of the dungeon into what had been the blacksmith shop of Bellman’s gang. With the exception of a great stiffness and soreness, occasioned by their confinement, the prisoners were soon as well as ever, and after a hearty meal from the provision lockers of the Golden Eagle II, and a long account from Lieutenant Chapin, who was rapidly recovering, of his adventures, the boys were ready to start.
So interested had they been in talking, however, and so rapidly had the time flown that they had not looked about them or taken any note of anything but each other. Now, however, when they looked up they noticed a peculiar haze in the air and at the same time became aware of a choking sort of feeling that made their eyes sting and their nostrils itch.
“What is it?” asked Harry as they all noticed these symptoms.
Frank and Lieutenant Chapin were both on their feet and had exchanged grave glances. From where they had been seated they had not commanded a view of the ’glades. Now, however, as the little party hastily emerged they saw before them a sight that chilled the blood of the boldest of them. For as far as they could see, and sweeping down on them at terrible speed, was a wall of flames.
The Everglades were on fire!
With a quick gasp Frank recollected the dried brush he had noticed on the trail the day he and Harry left the boat. He realized that if the flames reached the island with such tinder to feed on they would sweep it from end to end. The Golden Eagle II would be destroyed and they doomed to a slow death from starvation.