A fusillade of shots came from the guarding enemy; he felt the rush of air from a bullet that grazed his cheek. He jumped backward hastily against the wall and glanced anxiously up at his companions. Sydney was descending rapidly and was soon by his side. Another volley came from down the tunnel.
“Come down,” Phil urged the hesitating soldiers; “don’t desert us, the arms are here, see!” He grasped a gun from under the canvas cover and dragged it out until the light from above disclosed its character to the wavering men above.
The enemy in the tunnel opened a rapid fire; the soldiers ready to descend drew back in fear. In desperation Phil drew his revolver and faced squarely down the dark tunnel; six shots from his Colt rang out.
“We are coming, señor,” the lieutenant cried, forcing some of his men before him down the rope and following them quickly, while the lads silenced the fire of the enemy with their revolvers.
The soldiers once in the cellar opened fire with their rifles down the tunnel.
“The guns, now,” cried Phil; “two soldiers must keep up the fire,” he directed turning to the lieutenant.
The canvas cover was removed and a great store of ordnance material was revealed to the astonished eyes of the lieutenant and his men.
They needed no further urging, but with willing hands carried the machine guns from the end of the cellar to the hole in the floor above; the lads quickly knotted the rope about their steel barrels and thirty guns were soon safely landed on the floor of the hallway of the house. Then the ammunition, box after box, each containing six hundred rounds, was brought out by the men and passed up to their companions above.
This task completed, the lads, ordering the soldiers up the rope, fired a few parting shots down the tunnel.
“We must watch for the other man,” Phil said, turning to Sydney as they emerged from the house. “We know now that he is the member of the firm of La Fitte and Company who has been financiering this revolution; and that it was he who confided the supposed plan of attack to our minister; if we can lay hands on him the end of the rebellion will be in sight.”