accomplish the object that had enlisted their
services.

Meanwhile the trio of scouts found themselves groping their way along
smoke-filled passages. Hugh made the others keep in close touch with
him while this was going on. He did not mean that they should become
separated, and something dreadful mar their endeavor to make themselves
useful.

Fortunately the fire had not as yet reached the stairway leading upward,
so that in a brief space of time the three scouts found themselves
in the corridor where so lately a terrific combat had been taking
place. They even stumbled over some fragment of imitation steel armor
which may have been hurriedly thrown aside at the time the alarm of
fire had sounded, causing such a hasty stampede on the part of the
motion-picture players.

Apparently, while the retreat of the actors in this near-tragedy had
been of a hurried nature, they had seen to it that no one of their
number had been left in the corridor to become a victim of the flames.
Hugh made sure of this, even as he pushed his way along.

A minute later and the boys were climbing out of a certain window on
to the roof. Hugh had taken note of that very circumstance himself
when prowling about the remarkable building; in fact, he had even
half pulled himself up to see what the roof looked like, though never
dreaming at the time he would so soon find need of his knowledge.

Monkey Stallings was, of course, in his element. None of the others
could do nearly so well as he when it came to this sort of thing.
Probably Hugh had remembered this circumstance when picking the acrobat
out as one of his party, instead of choosing Arthur Cameron.

He sent the Stallings boy on ahead, and gave him to understand that he
was expected to assist the others whenever he could. So they managed
to gain the roof of the main building, and started in, the direction
of the wing that was being fast enveloped in fiercely leaping flames.

When the trio of scouts were discovered by the clusters of appalled
actors down below, and many fingers were pointed up at them, cheers
began to arise. Undoubtedly those quick-witted players guessed what
Hugh had in mind, and as it seemed to be the only possible chance to
save the poor girl from her prison room, they one and all wished the
courageous lads godspeed in their mission.

Hugh felt considerably relieved when he discovered that it would be
possible to gain the other roof from the main structure. T