“No; but see, there’s a flight of steps in that corner. Let’s go higher and find out what’s on the floor above.”
“It may be wasting precious time, lad.”
“On the other hand, this was the building that was guarded by the sentry. It’s fair to assume, then, that it is in this structure that our friends are confined.”
Captain Andrews had nothing to reply to this logic, and followed Jack up the steps.
At the summit of the rickety staircase was another door, secured, as had been the one below, by a stout bar of wood. Jack tackled this and wrenched it free. As he did so a voice that thrilled him in every fiber came from within the portal.
“Who is it?”
“Dad! It’s me—Jack—I’ve come to save you!” blurted out Jack, tears of sheer gladness springing to his eyes. He flung the door open.
The next instant Jack was clasped in his father’s arms, while about him and Captain Andrews, pressed the other captives, all well and unharmed and half wild with delight as they greeted the lad whose pluck had conquered Herrera’s “deadline.”
CHAPTER XVIII—HEMMED IN BY FLAMES
Naturally, after the first greeting’s had been exchanged, Mr. Jesson’s principal anxiety was for his son Tom. Jack soon set his mind at rest on this subject.