, she's a good
old ship, the Jasper B.! I don't suppose there was ever another
schooner in the world with a secret passageway leading out of her hold!"

"She IS a remarkable vessel," agreed Wilton Barnstable gravely. "But,
come, we are wasting time! The other end of this passage is at
Morris's, that is plain. Loge Black has only a few minutes' start of
us. Therefore, to Morris's!"

CHAPTER XXVI

A DOG DIES GAME

Clambering out of the hold, the three detectives and Cleggett briefly
made their followers acquainted with the extraordinary turn of events.
The Rev. Mr. Calthrop, Miss Pringle's Jefferson, and Washington
Artillery Lamb were detailed to guard the Jasper B. end of the tunnel.
The others, seizing their rifles, raced across the sands towards
Morris's.

In a few moments the place was invested, with riflemen on every side
except the south, which fronted on the bay. The steel-jacketed bullets
from the high-power guns tore through and through the flimsy walls.
Nevertheless the defenders replied pluckily, and the siege might have
dragged on for hours had it not been for the courage and resource of
Kuroki. Gaining the stable, Kuroki found an old pushcart there. He
piled three bales of hay upon it, and then set fire to the hay.
Pushing the cart before him, and crouching behind the bales to protect
himself from revolver shots, he worked his way to the east verandah of
the building and left the hay blazing against the planks. Then he ran
as if the devil were after him, and was almost out of pistol shot
before he got a bullet in the calf of his leg.

The blaze caught the wood and spread. In two minutes the east verandah
was in flames. Loge and his men attempted to pour water on the blaze
from above. But Cleggett's party directed so hot a fire upon the
windows that the defenders were forced to retire.

The main building caught. The road house was old, and was of very
light construction; the fire spread with rapidity. Loge was in a trap.

But that evil and indomitable spirit refused to yield. Even when his
remaining ruffians came out and gave themselves up Loge still fought on
alone in a sullen fury of despair.

Reckless of bullets, he leaned from an open window, a figure not
without its grandeur against the background of smoke and flame, and
shouted a savage and obscene insult at Cleggett.

"Give yourself up," cried Wilton Barnstable.

"Damn it, man, anything's better than roasting to death!"