be shot."

"That's cheerful," said Johnny. "What time?"

"Before dawn."

"That's rotten soon," said Johnny. "I don't think I'll stay to see it."

"I guess you will," said the stranger.

There seemed nothing more to be said, so the two new-found friends lay
there in silence. Each was busy with his own thoughts. Johnny's were
mostly of Mazie and of the thousands of starving children they had hoped
to aid.

"It's sure rotten luck," he ejaculated at last.

Just at that moment the great iron gate was heard to creak on its hinges.
Other wretches were being pitched inside to await their doom.

The door was so deeply set in the wall that nothing could be seen of the
newly arrived prisoners.

As Johnny lay wondering what they were like, he heard a shrill whisper:

"Johnny! Johnny Thompson!"

"Here!" he whispered back.

There were sounds of a person crawling toward him, the curse of a Russian
who had been disturbed in what was probably his last sleep; then Johnny's
lips uttered a low exclamation. He had caught the dull gleam of a golden
ball of fire.

"Pant," he murmured.

"It's me, Johnny." The boy's hand touched him.

Johnny was dumfounded. "How'd they get you?"

"Beaned one of them cops, I did. Saw 'em glom onto you. Wanted t' horn in
with you."

"Guess you horned in once too often," said Johnny huskily. "This is a
death-watch we're keeping, and it's for ourselves."

"We better blow the coop then."

"If we can."

"We can." Pant's tone was decided and convincing.

For some time after that the two boys spoke of their experiences since
last they met.

"You see, I got it cached out yonder three hills and a hike outside this
burg. She'll tip the beam at a century weight and a half, maybe more. All
pure gold, you bet. And it's all for the little Russian kids, every bit. I
ain't held back a copper."

Johnny, knowing that Pant was speaking of the gold he had taken from Mine
No. 3 and had sledded nearly three thousand miles to Vladivostok at risk
of his life, could only grip his hand and swallow hard.

"Gee!" said Pant, when Johnny had finished his story. "We'll have to find
that Mazie of yours, and quick. But we've got to get out of here first."

He was ready with his plans after a moment's thought. Prisoners were being
brought in every ten or fifteen minutes. There were no lights in the
prison and the military police carried none. The place was pitch dark. He
did not say that he could see well enough,